French Ormolu Mantel Clock with Classical Draped Woman, c.1820
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.
- Chapter Ring - A separate metal plate on the face of a clock, on which the numerals for the hours and sometimes parts of the hours, are displayed, usually wheel shaped and sitting on top of the dial plate. The chapter ring is often a feature of the clock and can be silvered or enamelled to stand as a contrast to its background. The hours are usually shown in Roman numerals, although in the late 19th and earlt 20th century, Arabic numerals became fashionable.
- 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
A French marble and ormolu Empire style figural clock, circa 1850-1860, a fine eight day clock with silk suspension having an enamel dial with Roman numerals set within a 'Ruined' antique plinth surmounted by a Roman figure of literature, raised upon a bla
A 19th century French gilt metal sculptural mantel clock, modelled with an Elizabethan figure, the circular dial with Roman numerals, the pendulum movement striking on a bell. With key. Scroll missing from hand. Height 33 cm
A late 19th century French ormolu figural mantel clock by Blaquart à Boulogne, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals and Breguet-type hands surmounted by a figure of a young girl feeding grass to a pet goat, the mechanism and figure raised upon a recta
A French Empire gilt bronze figural mantel clock, with eight day movement on one bell, silvered Roman numeral dial with a naturalistically cast figure and foliate, the body cast with shell and scroll motifs. 31 cm high