French Marquetry Mantel Clock with Ormolu Mounts, 19th Century
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Movement - The technical name for the workings of a clock or watch, and does not include the dial or case.
- Ormolu - Ormolu was popular with French craftsmen in the 18th and 19th century for ornamental fittings for furniture, clocks and other decorative items. True ormolu is gilt bronze, that is bronze that has been coated with gold using a mercury amalgam. Due to the health risks associated with using mercury, this method of creating ormolu was discontinued in France in the 1830s. A substitute was developed consisting of about 75% copper and 25% zinc, however it was inferior to the bronze version. It was often lacquered to prevent it tarnishing.
This item has been included into following indexes:
- clocks, mantle & shelf, material or style - gilt metal / ormolu 547
- clocks, mantle & shelf, period or origin
Visually similar items
Vintage Japanese lacquer sewing box embossed decoration to lid, (some wear and losses to lacquer); fitted interior with lacquer decoration. Length 46 cm
14ct yellow gold serpentine ring. Diamond set eyes. Wt. 6g
A stylish pair of baguette and brilliant cut diamond earrings, 18ct white gold, modern, designed as small sized half hoop panels earrings with tapering form, tension set in squre arrangement with a total of forty baguette cut diamonds between both earrings
Eight rush-seated oak ladderback chairs, three scalloped bars to the back, conforming stretcher base to the front. 44 cm x 40 cm x 91 cm