French silvered and gilt brass urn-shaped timepiece with annular chapter rings
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 20th century
Catalogued as early 20th-century French, this timepiece is formed as an urn constructed from silvered and gilt brass. The silvered body is surmounted by a foliate finial on a detachable cover and fitted with reeded side handles above a leaf-cast socle.
Mounted on a stepped square plinth, the movement indicates time via twin rotating enamel chapter rings, read against the tongue of a gilt serpent coiled around the socle and urn foot. The movement is wound through the detachable cover.
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
- Urn timepiece
- Height
- 22.5 cm (9 inches)
- Case Form
- Urn shaped with foliate finial and reeded handles
- Place recorded
- France
- Winding Access
- Wound through detachable cover
- Indication Method
- Gilt snake tongue pointing to twin rotating enamel chapter rings
Design
- Visible features
- • A coiled gilt serpent wraps around the gilded pedestal, extending upwards so its tongue aligns with the chapter rings. • Upper horizontal chapter ring displays Arabic numerals for minutes, while the lower ring displays Roman numerals for hours. • The urn rests on a tiered white marble or stone stepped plinth with gilt-brass egg-and-dart style moulding. • Part of an adjacent ornate pierced gilt-metal object on a red base is visible to the left.
- Form and Case Construction
- Catalogued as an early 20th-century French timepiece, the clock is designed in the form of an urn made of silvered and gilt brass. The silvered body features a foliate finial above a detachable cover and is flanked by reeded handles positioned over a leaf-cast socle. The socle is mounted upon a stepped square plinth. Direct observation indicates that this tiered plinth is composed of white marble or stone bordered with gilt-brass egg-and-dart style moulding.
- Dial Indication and Movement Access
- Time is shown by a gilt snake entwined around the foot of the urn, with its tongue serving as a pointer aimed at twin rotating enamel chapter rings. Visual observation confirms that the upper ring displays Arabic numerals for the minutes, while the lower ring presents Roman numerals for the hours. According to the catalogue description, the movement is wound directly through the detachable cover at the top of the urn.
- Saleroom Notice and Documentation Scope
- Internal movement details—such as the escapement type, train layout, duration, and any maker stamps or serial numbers—are not recorded in the source text or visible in the catalogue photography. A saleroom notice attached to the entry notes that the printed catalogue contained an erroneous illustration reference: "in the printed catalogue the illustration of this clock is incorrectly labelled as lot 62, however the web illustartionis correct."
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: Internal movement caliber, escapement type, and maker marks are neither described nor visible.
- Research required: Saleroom notice records that the printed catalogue illustration was mislabelled as lot 62, though the online illustration is correct.