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French Pillar Clock

French White Marble and Ormolu Pillar Mantel Clock
French White Marble and Ormolu Pillar Mantel Clock

French White Marble and Ormolu Pillar Mantel Clock

Located in Norwich, GB

French ormolu and white marble pillar clock with ormolu mounts surmounted by an ornate finial with and standing on four gilded bun feet.

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Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Mantel Clocks

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

French Directoire Marble Pillar Mantel Clock
French Directoire Marble Pillar Mantel Clock

French Directoire Marble Pillar Mantel Clock

Located in Norwich, GB

A Directoire Ormolu with black marble French pillar clock, three and a half inch enamel dial with Roman numerals signed ‘Viven Fils a Epernay’ with chased gilt bezel.

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Antique 1790s French Directoire Mantel Clocks

Materials

Ormolu

Antique French Ormolu Bronze Case Portico Pillar Mantel Clock with Double Swan
Antique French Ormolu Bronze Case Portico Pillar Mantel Clock with Double Swan

Antique French Ormolu Bronze Case Portico Pillar Mantel Clock with Double Swan

Located in Danville, CA

1880 Antique French Ormolu Bronze Case Portico Pillar Mantel Clock w Double Swan MOVEMENT: 8 day wind up mechanism FUNCTION: time with half hour and hour striking SIZE: 19"H...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Mantel Clocks

Materials

Bronze

Recent Sales

Empire four pillar mantel clock by Dieudonné Kinable
Empire four pillar mantel clock by Dieudonné Kinable

Empire four pillar mantel clock by Dieudonné Kinable

Unavailable

H 20.08 in W 11.23 in D 7.49 in

Empire four pillar mantel clock by Dieudonné Kinable

By Dieudonné Kinable

Located in HAARLEM, NL

An extremely high quality early Empire four pillar table precision regulator mantel clock. This hight quality clock is made by the famous clock maker Dieudonné Kinable, circa 1800. Q...

Category

Antique Early 1800s French Mantel Clocks

Materials

Bronze

High Quality Early Empire Four Pillar Mantel Clock by Dieudonné Kinable
High Quality Early Empire Four Pillar Mantel Clock by Dieudonné Kinable

High Quality Early Empire Four Pillar Mantel Clock by Dieudonné Kinable

By Dieudonné Kinable

Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland

An extremely high quality early Empire four pillar table precision regulator mantel clock. This high quality clock is made by the famous clock maker Dieudonné Kinable, circa 1800. Qu...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks

Materials

Bronze

Vintage Marble Corinthian Pillar Mantle Clock with Bronzed Figures Ormolu Mounts
Vintage Marble Corinthian Pillar Mantle Clock with Bronzed Figures Ormolu Mounts

Vintage Marble Corinthian Pillar Mantle Clock with Bronzed Figures Ormolu Mounts

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

We are delighted to offer for sale this nice vintage marble Corinthian pillared mantle clock with bronzed figures and ormolu mounts A very lovely ornate clock, the movement has be...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French French Provincial Mantel Clocks

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Vintage Marble Pillared Clock with Working Pendulum Movement Nautical Theme
Vintage Marble Pillared Clock with Working Pendulum Movement Nautical Theme

Vintage Marble Pillared Clock with Working Pendulum Movement Nautical Theme

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

We are delighted to offer for sale this nice vintage marble pillared mantle clock with the nautical theme A very lovely ornate clock, the movement has been replaced with a modern...

Category

20th Century French Modern Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Marble

French Four Pillar Marble Clock
French Four Pillar Marble Clock

French Four Pillar Marble Clock

Sold

H 10.5 in Dm 6.25 in

French Four Pillar Marble Clock

Located in Bridgehampton, NY

French Four Pillar Marble Clock

Category

Antique 19th Century French Clocks

Materials

Marble, Brass

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Located in valatie, NY

This graceful gilt bronze striking clock is from France’s Directoire period. The clocks white enameled face has black Roman numerals and is framed with a gilt ring in the classical w...

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French Pillar Clock For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the French pillar clock you’re looking for at 1stDibs. A French pillar clock — often made from metal, stone and ormolu — can elevate any home. Your living room may not be complete without a French pillar clock — find older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. When you’re browsing for the right French pillar clock, those designed in Louis XVI, Empire and Victorian styles are of considerable interest. Many designers have produced at least one well-made French pillar clock over the years, but those crafted by Japy Frères, Samuel Marti and A.D. Mougin are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a French Pillar Clock?

Prices for a French pillar clock can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $695 and can go as high as $270,442, while the average can fetch as much as $7,254.

Finding the Right Mantel-clocks for You

Personal time-telling devices may have migrated from our pockets to our wrists and finally onto our phones, but despite the convenience of a handheld digital timekeeper, nothing can beat well-made vintage, new and antique mantel clocks.

Invented by clockmakers in France and popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries, these practical yet ornate pieces were typically displayed on top of fireplaces or desks. While the most common mantel clocks were created in the traditional tambour style, which features a wide base that flares into an upright drum- or camelback-shaped case, modern clockmakers and furniture designers have experimented with their own ideas for these decorative objects over the years, introducing different forms and working with unconventional materials. A collection of whimsical, monochromatic handmade mantel clocks crafted by Dutch designer Kiki van Eijk, called Floating Frames, for example, features minimalist frames of anodized wire and ceramic clockfaces.

When shopping for an antique, vintage or new mantel clock, don’t be afraid to branch out. Wood mantel clocks of any era will bring a classic, elegant allure to the shelving in your living room or the bookcase in your bedroom, while Empire-style mantel clocks will comparatively boast eye-catching gilt bronze and pronounced sculptural attributes. Some Art Deco mantel clocks will feature an integration of marble or glass and will likely be marked by the decorative embellishments associated with that particular furniture style.

There’s just something about cool clocks, right? Spend your time with an extraordinary collection of mantel clocks on 1stDibs today.

Questions About French Pillar Clock

  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Check the clock for a manufacturer’s mark or label. Once you have this, you should be able to look up the clock’s brand to see if it is French in origin. A clock is considered antique once it is 100 years old. A professional can also help verify the origin of your clock. Shop an array of expertly vetted antique clocks on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    How you adjust a French mantel clock depends on its design. In many antique clocks, there is a winding slot that says R for Retard on one side and A for Advance on the other. If you wish to make the clock faster, you turn the key toward the R. To slow down the clock, turn the key in the opposite direction toward the A. Find a large collection of French mantel clocks on 1stDibs.