A Louis XIV marquetred pyramid-shaped mantel clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1680
The source documents a Louis XIV pyramid-shaped mantel clock catalogued as probably made in Augsburg, Germany, circa 1680. The obelisk-form case is decorated with marquetry in red tortoiseshell, horn, brass, pewter, and ebony.
It is mounted on spherical feet and topped with a metallic finial, measuring 32 cm in height by 12.5 cm in width. The auction description notes that the movement has been replaced. The clock was previously part of the Jean Pétin collection on Rue de Varenne in Paris.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Pyramid-shaped mantel clock
- Materials
- Red tortoiseshell, horn, brass, pewter and ebony
- Dimensions
- Haut. 32 cm, larg. 12,5 cm
- Provenance
- Late collection Jean Pétin, Rue de Varenne, Paris
- Attribution
- probably German, Augsburg, circa 1680
- Movement note
- The movement replaced
- Place recorded
- probably German, Augsburg
Design
- Visible features
- • Slender pyramid or obelisk-shaped upper body resting on a molded plinth base. • Supported on four round ball feet. • Pinnacle surmounted by a turned metallic ball and baluster finial. • Panels decorated with foliate and strapwork marquetry in pewter and brass tones set against a red ground. • Clock dial is not visible in this angle.
- Marquetry and Materials
- The auction entry identifies the case materials as red tortoiseshell, horn, brass, pewter, and ebony. The lot notice also notes the presence of restricted materials subject to international shipping and export regulations. Observation of the visible exterior shows decorative panels inlaid with foliate and strapwork marquetry in pewter and brass tones set against a red ground.
- Attribution and Provenance
- The auction catalogue dates and locates the clock as 'probably German, Augsburg, circa 1680'. The lot is catalogued from the 'Late collection Jean Pétin, Rue de Varenne, Paris'. An accompanying catalogue note adds that the clock is illustrated in a color photograph of Jean Pétin's office from his personal archive.
- Case Architecture and Form
- The object is documented as a Louis XIV pyramid-shaped mantel clock, catalogued with dimensions of 32 cm in height by 12.5 cm in width (12 5/8 in by 4 3/4 in). Direct visual inspection shows a slender pyramid or obelisk-shaped upper structure supported upon a molded plinth base, elevated on four round ball feet, and surmounted at its summit by a turned metallic ball and baluster finial.
- Horological State and Movement Replacement
- The auction lot description explicitly records the status of the internal mechanism with the notation '(the movement replaced)'. The source does not specify the maker, date, caliber, or mechanical operation of the replacement movement. No clock dial or hands are visible in the catalogued photographic view, leaving dial placement, configuration, and dial markings unrecorded in the provided record.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Source notes that the original movement has been replaced.
- Research required: The dial and internal clock mechanism are not shown in the provided photograph.