An early 19th Century Austrian mahogany repeater table clock with automaton
Anonymous
Having a 7-inch white-enamelled Arabic chapter ring, framing a repousse gilt brass automaton of Vulcan's forge, with a pair of amorini making Cupid's arrows, with moon hands, the unmarked three-train movement quarter-striking on three coiled gongs, the architectural case having a platform pediment with gilt carved eagle surmount, the arched top pediment with carved gilt sheeps head and leafwork brackets, over a mirror-backed two-twin dolphin column portico with repousse figures of Apollo and Daphne, before an serpentine base with turned feet, (sold with related pendulum)
38cm wide x 69cm high
Having a 7-inch white-enamelled Arabic chapter ring, framing a repousse gilt brass automaton of Vulcan's forge, with a pair of amorini making Cupid's arrows, with moon hands, the unmarked three-train movement quarter-striking on three coiled gongs, the architectural case having a platform pediment with gilt carved eagle surmount, the arched top pediment with carved gilt sheeps head and leafwork brackets, over a mirror-backed two-twin dolphin column portico with repousse figures of Apollo and Daphne, before an serpentine base with turned feet, (sold with related pendulum)
38cm wide x 69cm high
Sold for
£2,125
inc. premium
Footnotes
- For similar Viennese examples each with 'Vulcan's forge' automaton, one signed 'Rettich, Wien', see Hauer, Peter and Klaus, Maurice, European Pendulum Clocks, Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 1988, pp. 292-293, figs. 640-644, where stated: "These case types originated in Vienna. Components of these cases were made in batches and then assembled by the casemakers (who were sometimes the clockmakers) in many different combinations. The movements have four-quarter striking, the automaton figures (the Amorettes forge and sharpen their arrows during striking) were separately made and could be added to the clocks, raising the prices. The case form is rarely designed by an artist, but surely always by bourgeois masters who took excerpts from their pattern books, built the cases and added decorative sheet metal pieces."
Further examples were sold recently by Woolley and Wallis, Salisbury, 23rd September 2008, lot 64, and Gardiner Houlgate, Bath, 24th October 2008, lot 604.
Category: Furniture
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