Louis XVI portico table clock by Nicolas-Alexandre Folin
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
18th century
This Louis XVI table clock is of the 'pendule portique' type, constructed from black and white marble. The clock is signed 'Folin l'Ainé à Paris' on the enamel dial, which features Arabic numerals.
The movement is fitted with an anchor escapement and a pendulum. Its sounding mechanism uses a counting wheel to strike on a silver amalgamated bell, ringing once on both the half hour and the full hour. The case design incorporates gilt metal ornamentation, including floral swags, a central blue and white ceramic medallion, and a bird-topped summit. The overall dimensions of the clock are 53x37x15 cm. Provenance for this piece is attributed to The Antoon Gaemers Collection, identified as belonging to the estate of a fourth-generation watchmaker.
The clock dates to the late 18th century, a period during which the maker, Nicolas-Alexandre Folin, was active 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
- Table clock
- Maker
- Nicolas-Alexandre Folin
- Signed
- Folin l'Ainé à Paris
- Strike
- Half hour and full hour
- Material
- Black and white marble
- Dimensions
- 53 x 37 x 15 cm
- Escapement
- Anchor
- Provenance
- The Antoon Gaemers Collection
- Place recorded
- France
- Maker / attribution
- Nicolas-Alexandre Folin
Design
- Visible features
- • Enamel dial with Arabic numerals • Central blue and white medallion • Gilt metal bird finial • Black marble pillars
- Maker and Provenance
- The clock is signed by Nicolas-Alexandre Folin, noted as 'Folin l'Ainé' ('Folin the Elder'). While the maker was active as a watchmaker for a significant duration, he was officially accepted into the master guild in 1789. The clock was part of The Antoon Gaemers Collection, which represented four generations of chronometry expertise held by the Gaemers family, who were collectors and watchmakers. Documentation provided by the auction house associates this specific object with the Antoon Gaemers collection, noting its appearance in historical photography.
- Mechanism and Function
- The clock is powered by a manual winding movement. Timekeeping is regulated by an anchor escapement and a pendulum. The striking mechanism is governed by a counting wheel. This system enables the clock to sound once on both the half hour and the full hour. The sound is produced by a silver amalgamated bell located within the case.
- Case and Aesthetic Design
- The table clock follows the 'pendule portique' form, utilizing a structural arrangement of black marble pillars set upon a white marble base. The base is decorated with gilt metal appliqués featuring floral wreaths and military trophies. The central portion of the clock hosts the dial, which is framed by a wreath of gilt metal foliage. Below the dial, a circular blue and white ceramic medallion depicting a classical scene is suspended, flanked by a sunburst motif and floral arrangements. The summit of the clock is capped with a gilt metal figure of two birds. Evidence indicates the use of varied materials in the construction, combining black and white marble with cast gilt metal elements to achieve the Louis XVI stylistic presentation.
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: Maker active before 1789 but master status only confirmed in 1789
- Research required: Exact year of manufacture not definitively confirmed by records