French 19th Century Alabaster Clock Garniture
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.
- Alabaster - Alabaster is soft natural stone used for statuary, with a similar appearance to marble, but easier to work with. As it is softer than marble, an item made from alabaster can be scratched with a metal object, and an alabaster item does not polish to a high surface gloss like marble.
Alabaster objects can be semi-translucent. Alabaster occurs in a pure white form and also with veining from dirt. Colours vary from white through yellow and pink to brown. The veining is usually green or black but can be multicoloured.
Being semi-translucent, alabaster is often used for the bowls of figural lamps, with the figure itself being either alabaster or marble. - 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.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
An unusual gilt and silvered bronze mantle clock, 19th century, with maker's marks for Japy Freres and Le Roy, in the manner of Russian tula work, having a gilt dial with enamel chapters within an ornate drum embellished with mascarons and an urn, and upon
A rare pink marble and gilt bronze clock garniture by L. Charvet Aine and Cie Lyon, French, circa 1880, the clock 53 cm high, 28 cm wide, 16.5 cm deep
A Sevres pattern porcelain and gilt metal clock garniture, French, 19th century clock 38 cm high, candelabras 35 cm high
French white marble clock along with garnitures, approx. 40 cm, pendulum, no key (3)