Leopard Holding Pearl
Antique Early 1900s French Louis XVI Mantel Clocks
Marble, Bronze
People Also Browsed
Antique 19th Century English William IV Mantel Clocks
Porcelain
Antique 1880s French Other Mantel Clocks
Marble, Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century British Gothic Revival Mantel Clocks
Marble, Belgian Black Marble
Antique 1870s French Mantel Clocks
Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century Mantel Clocks
Brass
2010s Dutch Organic Modern Candelabras
Crystal
Antique 19th Century French Mantel Clocks
Ceramic
Antique Early 19th Century French Régence Mantel Clocks
Marble, Bronze
Antique 1890s Austrian Other Crystal Serveware
Rock Crystal, Silver, Enamel
Antique Late 19th Century French Baroque Andirons
Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Belle Époque Mantel Clocks
Silver, Enamel
Antique 1860s French Louis XVI Mantel Clocks
Marble, Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Mantel Clocks
Ormolu, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Mantel Clocks
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Late 19th Century French Mantel Clocks
Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu
Antique 1830s French Restauration Mantel Clocks
Bronze
A Close Look at louis-xvi Furniture
Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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.