SEFIA Reproduction 'Gloria' Ball Mystery Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Late 20th century
This mystery clock consists of a late 20th-century cast bronze winged figure supporting an antique-style mystery clock apparatus, modeled after Ansonia's classic 'Gloria' design.
The dark spherical clock head is mounted atop an X-form suspension with an attached gridiron pendulum and lower ball bob. According to the auction source, the face and apparatus bear the stamped mark of SEFIA. The figure stands on an incised domed base with clouds and wreath detailing, measuring 33.25 inches in height, and is noted to have a tear in one bronze wing.
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
- Mystery clock
- Height
- 33.25 inches
- Maker Mark
- SEFIA
- Figure Material
- Cast bronze
- Suspension Type
- X-form suspension
- Condition Defect
- Bronze wing tear
- Design Inspiration
- Ansonia 'Gloria' figure
- Maker / attribution
- SEFIA
Design
- Visible features
- • Cast bronze winged female classical figure supporting an elevated clock mechanism in her right hand. • Spherical dark clock case flanked by scroll brackets and a decorative finial, displaying applied gilt Roman numerals and ornate pierced hands. • Gridiron pendulum rod assembly extending downwards to a spherical bob. • Circular stepped base featuring cloud-like modeling above a grid-incised dome rimmed with foliage.
- Composition and Form
- The assembly stands 33.25 inches in height and centers on a winged female classical figure who holds the mystery clock aloft in her right hand. The auction listing describes the figure as late 20th-century cast bronze, noting that "the figure appears to be a copy of Ansonia's 'Gloria' ball clock figure." Beneath the figure, visual observation shows a circular stepped base with cloud-like modeling over a grid-incised dome rimmed with foliage. Mounted to the raised hand is a mystery clock apparatus featuring a dark spherical case flanked by scroll brackets and a decorative finial. The mechanism is mounted "upon X-form suspension hanging a gridiron pendulum" that terminates below in a spherical bob.
- Dial and Maker Markings
- The dark spherical dial case displays applied gilt Roman numerals and ornate pierced hands based on visual observation. The auction text notes that the assembly bears the maker mark of SEFIA in multiple positions. Specifically, the listing states that the apparatus is "having stamped mark of SEFIA, The face is lettered with this mark as well." The catalog characterizes the lot as combining a "late 20th century cast bronze figure holding aloft an antique apparatus with clock in ball shape case," though further details about SEFIA's background or the apparatus's date are not recorded in the source.
- Condition and Documentation Limitations
- The auction catalog highlights a single structural defect in the bronze casting, reporting that "One wing has a bronze tear" (and similarly in the condition report: "The figure has a tear to one bronze wing."). The listing provides no details regarding the exact extent, position, or stability of this tear. Internal movement specifications are not documented in the listing. Information regarding escapement design, running order, timekeeping accuracy, and internal mechanical condition is entirely unrecorded in the source.
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 source notes a tear to one bronze wing.
- Research required: Internal movement details, escapement type, and operational status are not provided by the source.
- Research required: The bronze figure is described as a late 20th-century reproduction combined with an apparatus bearing SEFIA marks.