Louis-Philippe Ormolu 'L'Escamoteur Chinois' Automaton Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1836
This Louis-Philippe gilt-bronze automaton clock portrays a Chinese magician performing a cup-and-ball conjuring trick atop a draped table. Designed by Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin within the Parisian workshop of Jacques-François Houdin, the case features a removable table curtain revealing an engraved maker's plaque dated 1836.
Below, the main case houses a circular gilt dial signed 'J.F. HOUDIN' with Roman numerals and winding apertures, flanked by foliate reliefs and supported on an elaborate dragon-form plinth base. A hidden spinning disc system below the table raises surprises when the figure lifts the cups.
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
- Automaton mantel clock
- Dimensions
- 17 3/4 in. high, 12 1/2 in. wide, 7 1/2 in. deep
- Dial Signature
- J.F. HOUDIN
- Place recorded
- France
- Movement Mechanism
- Spinning disc raising two of sixteen discs
- Plaque Inscription
- INVENTÉ ET ÉXECUTÉ, A LA FABRIQUE D'HORLOGERIE DE / J.F. HOUDIN, RUE VIELLE DU TEMPLE No. 78 A PARIS. / 1836
- Maker / attribution
- Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin / Jacques-François Houdin
Design
- Visible features
- • Gilt-bronze figure of a Chinese magician holding cups above a textile-patterned draped table • Circular ormolu dial with Roman hour numerals and two key-winding arbors • Flanking acanthus scroll and bird reliefs flanking the dial • Base supported on scrolled feet terminating in dragon or grotesque beast heads
- Reported Condition
- The clock is reported to have minor surface scratches, casting inconsistencies, light oxidation, and rubbing to the ormolu. The front appears to have a brighter tone than the sides and recessed areas. The reverse features a hinged bezel that lacks the glass cover. Additionally, two of the 'surprises' that appear under the cups are described as detached but retained with the lot.
- Mechanism and Operation
- The automaton movement utilizes a disc system located beneath the magician's table. As the system spins, it elevates two of sixteen discs to the surface level, creating the effect of a surprise appearing under the cups. According to the source, the automaton performs the magic trick, although the mechanism is noted to regularly pause, requiring a manual nudge to resume, and would benefit from professional tuning.
- Object Description and Identification
- This clock is modeled as a Chinese magician performing a cup-and-ball trick. It is positioned on a plinth base centered by an ormolu dial signed 'J.F. HOUDIN' and is supported by dragon-form feet. The object features a removable curtain at the front of the table which conceals an engraved plaque stating: 'INVENTÉ ET ÉXECUTÉ, A LA FABRIQUE D'HORLOGERIE DE / J.F. HOUDIN, RUE VIELLE DU TEMPLE No. 78 A PARIS. / 1836'.
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: The internal automaton mechanism and table interior are not visible in this primary photograph.
- Research required: The rear movement and lack of bezel glass reported in the condition report cannot be verified from this frontal angle.