Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 21

Large Mantel Clock, Lyre Pendule with Ormolu Ram's Heads, France, circa 1825

$8,824.58
£6,534.16
€7,500VAT Included
CA$12,291.38
A$12,504.89
CHF 7,166.55
MX$150,566.68
NOK 83,763.77
SEK 84,131.39
DKK 57,190.62

About the Item

Large Lyra pendulum clock with ram’s heads France Mahogany, bronze c. 1825 Dimensions: H x W x D: 59 x 28 x 15 cm Description: A large and exquisitely crafted lyre clock made of mahogany and fire-gilded bronze. The base stands on feet shaped like ram’s hooves. Supported by acanthus leaves, the lyre rises above it, featuring numerous bronze details. On the front, we see a sun disc held by laurel leaves, whilst further foliage supports the instrument from the outside. The exceptional quality of the bronze work is particularly evident in the clock’s crown. The ram’s heads are incredibly finely crafted. The chasing makes the fleece, the horns and the headdress seem almost tangible. The outstanding craftsmanship, evident even on the reverse, demonstrates the bronze smith’s attention to detail. The strings lead downwards to the heart of the clock, a French 8-day movement with a half-hour strike on a bell. The movement is housed in a fluted drum. Floral and foliage motifs adorn the bronze and fire-gilt dial. The white-enamelled cartouches with Arabic numerals and the black Breguet hands ensure excellent readability of the time. Personal note: Many collectors of antique clocks attach great importance to the signature on the movement. It is certainly nice to know the clockmaker, enabling one not only to verify the age of the clock on the basis of stylistic and craftsmanship features, but also to find the clockmaker’s biographical details in one of the many directories. However, clocks such as this one demonstrate that the clockmaker played only a minor role in the overall creation of such a work of art. There was a draughtsman who designed the clock, a joiner who prepared the timber, and a bronze caster who made the moulds and cast the bronze parts. Chasers added the fine details to the bronze pieces, whilst in the gilding workshops they were given their final lustre and colour. Finally, the clockwork was fitted. As you can see, it took many hands to create a clock like this... This model was also available with an Apollo figure as an additional crowning feature. Condition: A cleaned, absolutely reliable and accurate movement. The fire-gilding on the bronze parts has been cleaned and is in a fantastic original condition. The wood has been hand-polished with shellac and contrasts beautifully with the light gold. You can find a clock of the same design in the specialist literature: Biedermeiers Glück und Ende - Die gestörte Idylle 1815–1848 p. 376, Fig. 4.9.8
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 23.23 in (59 cm)Width: 11.03 in (28 cm)Depth: 5.91 in (15 cm)
  • Style:
    Restauration (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1825
  • Condition:
    Repaired: A cleaned, absolutely reliable and accurate movement. The fire-gilding on the bronze parts has been cleaned and is in a fantastic original condition. The wood has been hand-polished with shellac and contrasts beautifully with the light gold. Wear consistent with age and use. A cleaned, absolutely reliable and accurate movement. The fire-gilding on the bronze parts has been cleaned and is in a fantastic original condition. The wood has been hand-polished with shellac and contrasts beautifully with the light gold.
  • Seller Location:
    Greven, DE
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU5419250780812

More From This Seller

View All
Early 19th Century French Mantel Clock, signed Ferey au Havre, Ormolu

Early 19th Century French Mantel Clock, signed Ferey au Havre, Ormolu

Located in Greven, DE

Small mantel clock with bas-relief France Bronze, enamel early 19th century Dimensions: H x W x D: 33 x 19 x 9 cm Description: Antique, fire-gilt portal clock with figurative, Gre...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks

Materials

Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu

Early 19th Century Empire Ormolu Mantel Clock, La Lecture, Paris, c. 1813

Early 19th Century Empire Ormolu Mantel Clock, La Lecture, Paris, c. 1813

Located in Greven, DE

Pendule La Lieuse - The Reader Paris Bronze, marble, enamel Empire around 1813 Dimensions: H x W x D: 30 x 30 x 15 cm Description: The "La Lieuse" pendulum is probably the best-kn...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks

Materials

Enamel, Ormolu

Early 19th Century French Mantel Clock - Allegory of Love, Paris circa 1815

Early 19th Century French Mantel Clock - Allegory of Love, Paris circa 1815

Located in Greven, DE

Antique French Mantel Clock - Allegory of Love Paris Ormolu circa 1815 Dimensions: H x W x D: 45 x 35 x 13 cm Description: Antique French mantel clock as an allegory of love. Set...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks

Materials

Enamel, Ormolu

Early 19th Century Ormolu Mantel Clock, Atala freeing Chactas, Paris, circa 1810

Early 19th Century Ormolu Mantel Clock, Atala freeing Chactas, Paris, circa 1810

Located in Greven, DE

Mantel Clock "Atala and Chactas" Paris Bronze (fire-gilt and patinated), enamel Empire around 1810 Dimensions: H x W x D: 40 x 32 x 11 cm Description: Very rare and extremely high quality French mantel clock, so-called Pendule Au Bon Sauvage. Depicted are scenes from the love story "Atala or the love of two savages in the desert" written by Francois René Vicomte de Chateaubriand in 1801. At the beginning of the 19th century, this was probably the most famous love story in Europe, but today it has been forgotten. The story, set in present-day Louisiana (USA), is roughly rewritten about the forbidden love between Chactas, a young Indian, and Atala, the beautiful daughter of a Spaniard. Chactas is captured in a battle between two Indian tribes, chained to a palm tree and is to be sacrificed. Atala wants to save his life and convert him to Christianity. She unties him from the palm tree at night and they flee together into the wilderness of North America. Their love for each other grows stronger and stronger and they have prospects for a future together. The story takes a tragic turn when Atala, who must remain a virgin due to a vow made by her mother, can no longer withstand the conflict of her feelings and commits suicide. The main group of characters thus shows Chacta's liberation through Atala. Atala is leaning against a pile of logs. The animal fur thrown over the logs and the weapons leaning against the stack on the right give the impression of a night camp. The bronze is of rarely beautiful quality, finely chiselled and makes the scene appear very lively. The contrast of fire-gilded and patinated bronze adds tension to the composition. In the base we see the Entombment as the end of the tragic love story. This bronze work is also very detailed, the interplay of bright and matt gilding makes the flat relief appear much deeper than it is. The depiction of the mantel clock presented here shows that the exotic was only known from stories and that the bronzier had his own ideas about the appearance of this distant world. The Indian, for example, has very European facial features and his skin was not black in reality, of course. The palm tree was also certainly not found in the North American wilderness. The heart of the clock is a French pendulum movement, integrated into the wooden pile, with an eight-day power reserve and a lock plate striking a bell on the half and full hour. The pendulum is suspended on a thread, typical of the period. The classically shaped hands, so-called Breguet hands, are also typical of the time. The enamelled dial has black Roman hour numerals, Arabic quarter hours and bears the signature: Le Roy hr. de Madame A PARIS. Interesting facts: The period from 1795 to about 1815 saw the creation of probably the most spectacular group of bronzes: The "Au bon Sauvage" pendulums - depictions of the "Noble Savage". Today's viewers react to these objects with both fascination and irritation. Enthusiastic on the one hand about the obvious quality of the detailed bronzes and the allure of the exotic, on the other hand distanced and cautious because of the possible discrimination that is suspected behind them. The ambivalence of this feeling motivates the search for the conditions of origin of these pendulums. Europeans found their new ideal of the natural man primarily in fictional and realistic travelogues about the Indians of North America...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks

Materials

Ormolu

Empire Mantel Clock - La Bibliotheque, Ormolu, France, Paris, circa 1820

Empire Mantel Clock - La Bibliotheque, Ormolu, France, Paris, circa 1820

By Le Roi

Located in Greven, DE

Mantel Clock - La Bibliotheque - In the study room Paris fire-gilt bronze, enamel Empire around 1820 Dimensions: H x W x D: 38 x 28 x 19 cm Description: Scenery mounted on an oval...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Mantel Clocks

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Mantel Clock "Astronomy", France circa 1830

19th Century Mantel Clock "Astronomy", France circa 1830

Located in Greven, DE

Antique mantel clock on the theme of astronomy France Bronze Charles X around 1830 Dimensions: H x W x D: 48 x 19 x 10 cm Description: Unusual and beautifully crafted bronze mante...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Charles X Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Bronze

You May Also Like

French Neoclassical Style Lyre-Form Gilt Bronze Clock

French Neoclassical Style Lyre-Form Gilt Bronze Clock

Located in London, GB

French neoclassical style lyre-form gilt bronze clock French, 19th century Measures: Height 50cm, width 19cm, depth 13cm This wonderful mantel clock, crafted entirely from gilt bronze, is a magnificent example of the Louis XVI style. The clock is designed about the motif of the lyre—a popular form for Louis XVI style clocks. The clock features a stepped plinth-form base, raised on four bun feet. The base supports the clock case itself, which is wrought to resemble a lyre: the dial is set into the body of the lyre, while the twin lyre arms spring from the shoulders of the case. The arms are joined above by a garland held by scrolled swan’s head finials, between which is situated an Apollo sunburst mask. The gilt bronze surrounding the dial is richly moulded with scrolled forms and grasping acanthus leaves. The dial itself, with a pierced centre, features Arabic numeral hour marks on individual circular enamel cartouches. The movement is signed ‘Le Roy a...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Mantel Clocks

Materials

Ormolu, Bronze

Louis Seize Lyre Mantel Clock, Probably Paris, circa 1780

Louis Seize Lyre Mantel Clock, Probably Paris, circa 1780

Located in Greding, DE

Lyre-shaped mantel clock on marble base with crowning head of sun god Apollo and swan heads holding a flower festoon in their beaks. The dial is decorated with round enamel numerals....

Category

Antique 1780s French Louis XVI Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Marble

Neoclassical 18th Century Ormolu and Marble Lyre Clock

Neoclassical 18th Century Ormolu and Marble Lyre Clock

Located in London, GB

Neoclassical 18th Century ormolu and marble lyre clock French, Louis XVI period Height 64m, width 27cm, depth 12cm This exquisite mantel clock was ...

Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Mantel Clocks

Materials

Marble, Ormolu, Bronze

Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Lyre-Form Mantel Clock

Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Lyre-Form Mantel Clock

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Lyre-Form Mantel Clock French, late 19th / early 20th century The circular enamel dial with Arabic numerals and pierced gilt hands, centered by a glazed ...

Category

20th Century Mantel Clocks

Materials

Giltwood

French Ormolu Lyre Mantel Clock

French Ormolu Lyre Mantel Clock

Located in Norwich, GB

French ormolu Lyre clock standing on a stepped rectangular base with acanthus leaf decoration and floral swags resting on four turned and chased toupe feet. Chased garland gilt bezel surrounding a fine enamel dial with Roman numerals and a gilded starburst...

Category

Antique 1840s French Mantel Clocks

Materials

Ormolu

French Empire Early 19th Century Mantel Clock 'Apollo Playing the Lyre' Dartois

French Empire Early 19th Century Mantel Clock 'Apollo Playing the Lyre' Dartois

Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE

Three-week duration, striking half and full hours. The enamel dial signed 'Dartois Fils à Paris'. Dartois was, just like Galle, Ledure, Raviro and Thomire, one of the leading and mos...

Category

Antique 19th Century French First Empire Clocks

Materials

Bronze