19th Century Marble and Ormolu Lyre Clock in the Louis XVI Style

A mantel clock in the Louis XV manner. Constructed in white Carrara marble and gilt bronze; the rectangular form base having bowed ends, rises from gilt toupie feet and has opposed gilt sphinxes and gilt bronze foliate mounts to the facia; the two train clock...

An important mantle Clock 'à l'éléphant' in the Louis XV style. Constructed from gilt, hand-chased, and burnished bronze with patinated detail, the mantle clock on an asymmetric Rococo scrolling base with naturalistic features; the main body modelled as an elephant astride, mounted with a turbaned figure of a mahout (elephant keeper) in charge and his companion monkey, the elephant's back supporting a bamboo houdah enclosing the white enamelled dial marking the hours and minutes in Roman and Arabic numerals respectively, a tasselled cushion perched atop with two oriental figures holding parasols. French, circa 1840 Clocks incorporating animals reigned supreme during the Louis XV period, at a time when curiosity for new cultures was at its height. The exoticism found expression in the accounts of explorers describing rhinoceros, lions and elephants, which were enthusiastically absorbed into European decorative arts. The elephant acquired a particular aura following the diplomatic gift of the King of Siam to King Louis XIV of an elephant in 1686. Elephants had been used as motifs in horology since the Renaissance period, representing the theme of 'rulership' in the Kunstkammer, as seen in the Augsburg Automaton in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum. The Elephant Clock...

A Garniture de Chemineé in the Louis XVI taste By Arnold & Lewis (late Simmons) The mantle clock, and its two matched vases, are constructed in jewelled 'Sèvres' style porcelain, hand and polychrome decorated, with gilt highlights and finely gilt bronze. The clock, rising from toupie feet, supports a rectangular base frame with rounded ends, set with cast stiff leaf decoration, and having inset Roi de Bleu and gilt work panels; over, the circular porcelain dial, signed by the maker (qv) has Roman numerals and blued steel hands, and is set over a central porcelain panel with a bucolic scene, and flanked by elliptical female portraits; the ends are curved and conformingly polychrome and gilt decorated; the whole is surmounted by a decorated twin handled urn, having a pine cone finial, set on an addorsed acanthi gilt bronze base. The two train clock...

An Elegant Mantle Clock In the Louis XV Manner The clock and its plinth executed in gilt bronze in a dynamic rococo style, rising from scrolling foliage, the dial in the shape of a ...

An exceptional French 19th century Louis XVI st. ormolu, patinated bronze and Brèche Violette marble clock. The clock is raised by a square marble base with cut corners and a mottled...

A spectacular French mid 19th century Louis XVI st. white Carrara marble and ormolu clock in the manner of Clodion. The clock is raised by elegant reeded topie shaped feet below the ...

A good quality 19th century French white marble and gilded ormolu mantel clock in the shape of a Lyre. Having a sun burst mount above gilded ormolu garlands of flowers, set into the ...

A striking French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu, black Belgian and white Carrara marble clock, signed Vaillant à Paris. The clock is raised by a black Belgian marble base with fine ormolu topie feet and striking fitted ormolu plaques...