Empire Clocks

An Empire Mantel Clock by H.Robert-Horloger De La Reine, Paris, date circa 1820-1830 A superb Empire gilt and patinated bronze mantel clock of eight day duration signed on the white enamel dial H.Robert-Horloger a la Reine . The dial with Roman numerals and gilded steel Breguet style hands for the hours and minutes. The movement with anchor escapement, silk thread suspension, striking on a single bell, with outside count wheel. The extremely fine case featuring the standing figure of Urania, Muse of Astronomy holding a pen in her left hand which points to a star-studded globe adorned with the signs of the zodiac around its circumference, the globe set on the back of four putti upon a plinth, containing the dial with a serpent-wrapped Paris, date circa 1820-30 Height 73 cm, width 50cm, depth 22 cm. In addition to the above prestigious locations, clocks of this model can be found at Warsaw Castle and in the Bayerischen Nationalmuseum, Munich. The Parisian clockmaker Bailly (d. after 1818) was one of the finest of his day and as such earned the title of Horloger de LL. MM. II. Et RR (Clockmaker to Their Imperial and Royal Majesties). Working from rue de Richelieu he was with Lepaute one of the main suppliers to the Garde-Meuble. Bailly, who retired in 1818 had the responsibility of maintaining the clocks at Compiègne and the Trianons and is known to have used cases by the leading Parisian bronziers including Pierre-Philippe Thomire and Claude Galle as well as Ferdinand Schwerdfeger who supplied him with a case for a regulator surmounted by a star-studded and zodiac banded globe...

19th century, French chiselled and gilt bronze table clock This table clock was made of chiselled and gilded bronze in the early 19th centur...

Fine black marble and ormolu mantel clock of borne (antique milestone) form. Superb proportions and Fine ormolu mounts, well finished with matte and burnished fire gilding. The primary mount represents d'Etude, below this a pair of Lions pawing an Anthemion. To each side a Fine mount of crossed winged torches of ever lasting love purporting to represent Anacreon inspired by Love. Fine white enamel dial and gilt bronze hands, signed Maniere a Paris for Charles-Guillaume working at the Rue Christine...

A fine early 19th century French Empire gilt bronze clock representing an allegory of astronomy; featuring two classically draped maide...

A very fine gilt bronze period Empire mantle clock. France, circa 1805. Period Empire clock featuring an stylized Hercules with Lion's pelt. Origin...

An impressive early 19th Century French bronze & ormolu Clock Garniture comprising a pair of campana shaped Urns with satyr mask carrying handles supported on red marble plinths with...

This large and impressive gilt bronze mantel clock is by the French Michel-François Piolaine. The clock body is raised by an architecturally formed, plinth-shaped base, set to the fr...

Empire period neoclassical malachite and gilt bronze mantel clock French, early 19th century Dimensions: Height 48cm, width 23.5cm, depth 11cm This mantel clock was finely crafted in the Empire period, wrought from ormolu and a later malachite veneer. The design of the clock is based on classical architecture. It features a malachite entablature—with an ormolu pierced mount to the front—which is supported on four ormolu bun feet. The malachite column shafts are smooth and each culminate in a capital, supporting the malachite top. Between the columns, there is a drum clock...

Antique Empire period gilt bronze clock by Pierre-Philippe Thomire French, Early 19th Century Height 45cm, width 29cm, depth 19cm This superb gilt bronze clock, created by the renow...

A 19th century French gilt bronze rooster clock with brass eight-day spring driven movement. Newly cleaned and operational.

Refined French Empire-style portico clock, dating from the early 1800s, in black and white marble, richly adorned with finely chiseled gilt bronze. The enameled dial with Roman numer...

A fine Empire Period gilt bronze clock depicting Diana the huntress. The dial signed 'Thomas a Paris'. The white enamel dial with Roman numerals and Breguet hands, the case sur...

Elegant biscuit watch with an allegory of pure love. The spring-loaded watch features an enamelled dial with double Arabic and Roman numerals, and a crown set with zircons cut like d...

A period French Empire Apollo Belvedere mantle clock in gilt bronze, the rectangular plinth on a stepped base richly decorated with acanthus. The plinth itself houses the large white...

French Empire pendulum clock finely crafted of gilt bronze, featuring a young spinner wearing a classical dress, seating on the dial near a lyre ...

18th century Viennese dark green painted and giltwood pendule of unusual size in the form of a classical urn, the gilt-bronze dial with Roman numerals, surmounted by giltwood flowers...

A gilt bronze and griotte marble French Empire clock depicting Apollo Greek God of Music Art Literature and Sciences. The clock shows a a gilt bronze winged figure of Apollo leaning against a griotte marble altar pedestal decorated with gilt bronze garlands. At the center of the pedestal is the clock’s dial and movement. Sitting on top of the pedestal is a standing harp, a mallet and a scroll. The whole is supported by a griotte marble base with a gilt bronze frieze showing a number of frolicking and dancing cupids playing music, drinking wine waving laurel wreaths, carrying a standard and even crowning a bust of Athena. The base sits on two owl feet...

A rare model of a French Empire clock in gilded bronze called The Library, featuring a boy and a girl dressed in classical attire diligently studying in a library, both are sitting on a stool in front of a clock which is integrated into a column which also serves as a bookshelf. The oval clock...

A gilt bronze French Empire clock depicting an allegory to the earth’s water source. In this clock a classically draped nymph sits atop a rocky outcrop her right foot resting on the ...

Royal Empire mantel clock / pendulum clock, fire-gilt, around 1805-1815, Paris Solid bronze, fire-gilded, Paris around 1805-1815, original French Empire from the first period. ...

Great bronze pendulum. Base and pedestal with lavish floral and figurative embellishments such as rocaille, acanthus leaves, cartouches, garlands, putti and central masks. Additional...

Important Empire clock in bronze with two Patinas Alexander the Great 19th century Weight: 11.00 kg Sizes: H 51cm x L 39cm France very good condition.

French Empire Patinated Bronze and Ormolu Mantel Clock Patinated bronze and ormolu mantel clock housed in an oval ribbed case with raised plinth with fine engine turned band and res...

A mercury gilt bronze clock depicting two young women dressed in antique style sitting in Etruscan-style shepherdesses on either side of a draped table with claw feet, studying a map...

French Empire period gilt bronze mantel clock French, early 19th century Measures: Height 50cm, width 36cm, depth 12cm This mantel clock, wrought from gilt bronze during the French Empire period, features a rectangular base, set above four bun feet, the front of the base adorned with a gilt bronze relief panel...

French Empire Ormolu and Bisque Porcelain Mantel Clock French Empire ormolu mounted Bisque porcelain mantel clock surmounted by a winged...

Fire-gilded bronze table clock: a childlike bacchanal seated on a wine barrel under an arched vine arbour, holding grapes and a wine glass in his hands, on an oval base with an appli...

Superb quality French Empire ormolu and patinated bronze mantel clock in a beautifully restrained case. The casting and gilding of the finest quality. A classically dressed maiden st...

Fine and decorative Swedish Cartel clock. Very elaborately carved wooden case flanked by two sculptural dolphins. The dial signed P. Ericsson Stoc...

Ormolu French Empire clock, drumhead case with applied frieze decoration to the base, standing on turned and engraved feet. Superb engine turned dial centre, the gilded dial with Roman numerals, original hands and floral cast bezel surround. Convex glass to the rear supporting the eight day movement with outside countwheel striking and silk suspension. The whole surmounted by a gilded winged...

19th Century Empire Gilt Bronze and Porcelain Table Clock 19th century French. in gilded bronze, surmounted by birds. Profusely enamelled circular dial with Roman numerals. Relie...

Fine and rare French Empire ormolu clock of Cupid as magician, uncovering flaming hearts with the 3 cup trick. The shaped base with four tal...

A French fire-gilt clock depicting a seated female figure - Urania, I presume, judging from the iconography. Empire Era, 1800-1815. The gilding sh...

French Empire gilt bronze clock French, early 19th century Measures: Height 38cm, width 27cm, depth 10cm This fine gilt bronze man...

French Empire Ormolu and marble vert mantel clock of Cupid whispering. Wonderful original fire gilded mercury ormolu. The quality of the casting and chasing is superb, from the indiv...

Empire period gilt bronze figural clock representing Amour & Psyche.

A very unusual French Empire Genre Arcadian mantel clock of a hunting scene. The primary subject is that of a finely dressed woman in riding habit, hat, whip and gloves riding side saddle on a fine patinated bronze hunter...

French Empire period ormolu mantel clock by Michelez French, circa 1815 Measures: Height 47cm, width 20cm, depth 15cm This beautifully formed and crafted mantel clock, dating to...

French Empire miniature ormolu clock of Cupid signed by Ledure and Thomas. A small French Empire clock only 10 inches (25 cms high) but of outstanding quality. A figure of Cupid stan...

Important pendulum in gilded bronze and onyx from the nineteenth century. The enamel dial. Made for the russian market. Large: 60 x 55 x 18 cm.. With pendulum and key 6550 euros.

Complete Vienna clock on six stocky ball feet made of alabaster, architecturally structured wooden case with fruitwood veneers in the shape of a portal, steps in front flanked by two...

French Empire patinated bronze and ormolu vase clock. Of unusual design set as it is on a spread ormolu base of eight sides, the front and back being long sides. The base sits upon f...

Vase-shaped mantel clock in gilded porcelain. Breguet hands track the hours and minutes on white, enamel dial with hours marked in Roman numerals. The porcelain is interspaced with g...

A Louis XVI ormolu-mounted black and white marble mantel clock by Thiéry, Paris. Thiery Paris, late 18th century. The drumcase cont...

A most beautiful French ornolu mantel clock by Leroy à Paris A lovely French late Empire/early Charles X mantel clock with an ormolu case, c. 1825. The ormolu brass case depicts a celebration of Science and Learning. It is dominated by a rectangular superstructure containing the movement, flanked by an engine-turned column with a celestial globe on top on the left and an elegant lady reading a book on the right. The superstructure is surmounted by a bookcase and a bust of Socrates...

An impressive 19th century Empire influenced green marble clock set. Having the arched clock with a white enamel clock face, an eight day striking m...

Magnificent empire clock in its original gilding , one of the most beautiful models executed at this time.The beauty of this woman standing ,the base decorated with children one of w...

A 19th century French gilt-bronze and white marble figural lyre clock. The case mounted with floral swags, with a figure of Cupid to the top and two cherubs to the sides, on fluted r...

An Empire ormolu and painted bronze mantel clock attributed to Jean-Simon Deverberie. Fitted in an ormolu case shaped as a cotton bale, the round enamel dial features Roman numeral hours and Arabic fifteen-minute graduations, indicated by two pierced gilt bronze hands. Shirtless and barefoot, a young black sailor...

A gilt bronze Empire clock in the form of a classical urn, by Maison Lepautre. French, circa 1825. The dial signed 'Lepaute a Paris'. The clock has an ornate cast bezel with a 3-inch porcelain dial with Roman numerals and Breguet style hands. The twin train eight-day movement with outside count wheel striking on a bell and silk thread suspension. This elegant Empire style clock has a gilt bronze case in the form of a classical urn with swan neck handles and a winged cherub to the neck. The circular pedestal base is raised on a footed stepped square plinth. The Lepaute family were the premier French clockmakers of their day. Their significance lies in their contribution to the clock making industry which had hitherto come under the trade of locksmiths. The family held the brevet Horlogers du Roi. Jean-André Lepaute (1720–1789) arrived in Paris at an early age and in 1740 founded the family business. A skilled artist and mechanic, he quickly gained an excellent reputation. He was received as maître by the clockmakers guild in 1759, was granted royal lodgings from the king in The Luxembourg Palace, and was entrusted with the construction of the majority of the great public clocks of Paris. He executed, amongst others, those in The Luxembourg Palace, the Jardin des Plantes, the Château de Bellevue and the Château des Ternes. His clock at Paris’s École Militaire still works today. Three editions of his Traité d’Horlogerie were published in Paris in 1755, 1760 and 1767. A small volume, Description de Plusieurs Ouvrages d’Horlogerie appeared in 1764. Jean-André’s wife, Nicole-Reine Etable de la Brière (1723-1788), was a highly esteemed mathematician and astronomer. Her passion for science lent itself to Lepaute’s work and she played an active role in the scientific and mathematical aspects of the clock making. Jean-André’s younger brother Jean-Baptiste Lepaute (1727-1802) joined him in Paris in 1747 and immediately started working for the family business. He was received as maître in 1776 and was known for the clocks he constructed for the Paris Hôtel de Ville (1780), destroyed in a fire of 1871, and for the Hôtel des Invalides (1784). Jean-Baptiste took over the workshop when Jean-André retired in 1775. After Jean-Baptiste’s death in 1802, the firm was taken over by his nephew Pierre-Basil Lepaute (1750-1843) where he was duly joined by his own nephew Jean-Joseph (1768-1846) and son Pierre-Michel (1785-1849). By 1816, Pierre-Michel Lepaute was in charge of the business. His masterpieces include the astronomical clock in Paris’s Bureau...

A French patinated and fire-gilt clock in the form of a vase, Empire Era, 1800-1815. The silk-thread mechanism is in good working condition with key and pendulum.

A fine Early 19th century French Empire ormolu bronze mantel clock. Depicting a winged cherub standing atop a barrel while a kneeling lady pouring wine ...

A beautiful and exclusive clock stand made of steel and granite. Holding a picture of the Stephans-dome. The most famous church in Wienna, Austria. High quality craftsmanship on all...

19th century French Empire doré bronze clock, France, 1880s.