Empire Style Figural Mantel Clock
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- 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.
- Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.
The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.
It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture. - Empire Style - The Empire style was a version of neo-classicism popular from 1800 to 1830, coinciding with the rule of Napoleon I from 1840-15. In England the style corrosponds with the Regency style and in the United States to the Federal style.
The style is inspired by classical Rome and Greece, as reflected in the decorative motifs in the the design such as paterae, guilloches, acanthus and swags, and pieces are lavishly decorated with applied gilded decoration. - Anchor Escapement - An anchor escapement is a type of mechanical escapement used in clocks and watches. It is a refinement of the older verge escapement, which was used in early mechanical timekeeping devices. The anchor escapement is characterised by the use of an anchor-shaped pallet that rocks back and forth, alternately locking and releasing the escape wheel. This action allows the movement of the watch or clock to be regulated, producing the characteristic tick-tock sound that is associated with mechanical timekeeping devices. The anchor escapement is generally more accurate and reliable than the verge escapement, and it is still used in many modern clocks and watches today.
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