French gilt brass and porcelain mantel clock garniture
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1880
This French three-piece mantel clock garniture, dating to circa 1880, was retailed by the Philadelphia firm Bailey, Banks & Biddle. The circular eight-day movement was manufactured by Japy Frères & Cie. and incorporates a two-train striking mechanism on a coiled gong, an anchor escapement, and Brocot-type suspension regulation.
The rectangular porcelain dial features vertically aligned Arabic numeral cartouches amidst blue and gilt plumbago floral decoration on a cream ground. The gilt brass case is crowned with an ogee-shaped porcelain dome superstructure and turned finials, flanked by turned baluster corner columns. The set includes two matching urn-form side pieces decorated with conforming floral porcelain bodies and scroll handles.
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
- Mantel clock garniture
- Retailer
- Bailey, Banks & Biddle, Philadelphia
- Movement Maker
- Japy Frères & Cie.
- Movement Stamp
- G243
- Place recorded
- France
- Clock Dimensions
- 42 cm high, 24 cm wide, 19.5 cm deep
- Maker / attribution
- Japy Frères & Cie.
- Side Piece Dimensions
- 37.5 cm high, 14.5 cm wide, 11 cm deep
Design
- Visible features
- • The mantel clock is flanked by two matching urn-shaped garniture side pieces with scroll handles. • The rectangular porcelain dial features vertically aligned Arabic numerals in circular cartouches surrounded by blue and gilt floral sprays. • The clock case features an ogee-shaped domed porcelain top with a turned gilt finial, resting on turned baluster corner columns and feet.
- Case Construction
- The gilt-brass case features an ogee-shaped porcelain dome with a turned gilt finial, decorated with floral sprays. It is designed with double baluster-turned corner columns and smaller porcelain domes, with matching rectangular panels on the sides. The base is a skirt-type design with an inset porcelain panel and moulded projecting angles on turned feet. The accompanying two urn-shaped side pieces feature domed covers, brass collars, stepped ovoid porcelain bodies with gilt plumbago blooms, and baluster-turned scroll-shaped handles.
- Mechanism and Dial
- The clock utilizes an eight-day, two-train gong striking movement with an anchor escapement and Brocot-style suspension regulation, controlled by a disc bob pendulum. The backplate is stamped with 'G243' to the upper left and '5 8' to the lower margin. The rectangular porcelain dial features a cream ground with blue and gilt plumbago floral sprays. It contains vertically aligned Arabic numerals in circular cartouches, with the retailer's name inscribed at the center.
- Identity and Provenance
- This three-piece mantel clock garniture, dated to circa 1880, was retailed by Bailey, Banks and Biddle of Philadelphia. The movement is identified by a maker's roundel on the backplate associated with Japy Frères & Cie. The firm of Bailey, Banks and Biddle originated as Bailey and Kitchen in 1832, traded as Bailey and Company from 1841, and adopted the name Bailey, Banks and Biddle in 1878.
Identification
- Serial number
- G243
- 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: The movement's operational functionality and timekeeping accuracy are not detailed in the catalog description.
- Research required: Internal and reverse components mentioned in the text are not visible in this primary frontal view.