Gilt Bronze Figural Mantel Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th century
According to the auction catalogue, this nineteenth-century French gilt bronze figural mantel clock is composed of classical figures seated upon a naturalistic base above a central circular dial.
The dial features a white face with black Roman numerals. The entire sculpture rests upon a casket-shaped base fashioned from marble and bronze with scroll feet. The source notes that the clock is stamped 'Medaille D'Argent'. The overall structure measures 30 1/2 inches in height and 24 inches in length.
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
- Dial
- Central white dial with black Roman numerals
- Type
- Figural mantel clock
- Origin
- France, 19th century
- Markings
- Stamped Medaille D'Argent
- Dimensions
- Height 30 1/2 inches, length 24 inches
- Place recorded
- France
- Base construction
- Casket shaped marble and bronze base
Design
- Visible features
- • A classical male figure holding an upright torch sits alongside a seated draped female figure. • A circular clock dial with Roman numerals and winding arbors is set below the figures within an ornate gilt-bronze bezel. • The casket-shaped base features veined marble panels set into cast gilt-bronze borders with leaf moulding, supported on scroll feet.
- Dial and Base Architecture
- Positioned centrally beneath the sculptural group is the time display, documented in the catalogue as a "central white dial having black Roman numerals". Observation of the clock shows that a circular clock dial with Roman numerals and winding arbors is set below the figures within an ornate gilt-bronze bezel. The entire assembly rests on a lower plinth recorded in the catalogue as a "casket shaped marble and bronze base". Visual inspection confirms that the casket-shaped base features veined marble panels set into cast gilt-bronze borders with leaf moulding, supported on scroll feet.
- Figural Group and Sculptural Form
- The upper section of the clock features a figural group cast in gilt bronze and placed on a naturalistic mound. The auction entry catalogues the lot as being "set with classical figures on a naturalistic base". Directly observed on the front, a classical male figure holding an upright torch sits alongside a seated draped female figure above the clock housing. The source documents the overall dimensions of the sculpture as "ht. 30 1/2, lg. 24 in". The figures are arranged in an interactive classical pose, flanking the circular movement drum set beneath them.
- Markings and Horological Documentation
- The catalogue description dates and locates the piece to "France, 19th century" and notes that it is "stamped Medaille D'Argent". The listing does not transcribe an accompanying clockmaker or foundry name, patent date, or movement serial number. Internal movement details, escapement design, pendulum assembly, and striking mechanics are not recorded in this source. Whether the movement is original, complete, or functional cannot be verified from the listing alone.
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 details, escapement type, and full maker signatures are not documented in the listing.
- Research required: The specific manufacturer award represented by the 'Medaille D'Argent' stamp is not identified.