An early 19th century French marble, ormolu and enamel skeleton clock with moonphase and revolutionary calendar
Ridel, Paris
The clock surmounted by the lunar dial with age of moon over the main 5.5 inch Roman and Arabic dial with concentric date and month tracks, pierced gilt hour and minute hands and blued calendar and seconds hands, the skeletonised centre with five crossing calendar wheelwork, over the signature plaque in gilt on a blue ground, raised on an arch support in blue with gilt stars, supporting the subsidiary day dial from the underside, on four turned marble legs, in turn mounted on a rectangular white marble base with applied ormolu beaded border, paterae and diaper panels over gilt toupie feet, the gilt sunburst mask pendulum suspended from a paste set bezel, the twin train spring barrel movement with pinwheel escapement, outside countwheel strike on a bell and fine wheelwork of four and five crossings mounted on pierced circular plates, the pendulum crutch with fine adjustment; together with the custom made 19th century glazed gilt brass case of arched form, enriched with a repeating scroll pattern to the frame. 51cm (20in) high.
The clock surmounted by the lunar dial with age of moon over the main 5.5 inch Roman and Arabic dial with concentric date and month tracks, pierced gilt hour and minute hands and blued calendar and seconds hands, the skeletonised centre with five crossing calendar wheelwork, over the signature plaque in gilt on a blue ground, raised on an arch support in blue with gilt stars, supporting the subsidiary day dial from the underside, on four turned marble legs, in turn mounted on a rectangular white marble base with applied ormolu beaded border, paterae and diaper panels over gilt toupie feet, the gilt sunburst mask pendulum suspended from a paste set bezel, the twin train spring barrel movement with pinwheel escapement, outside countwheel strike on a bell and fine wheelwork of four and five crossings mounted on pierced circular plates, the pendulum crutch with fine adjustment; together with the custom made 19th century glazed gilt brass case of arched form, enriched with a repeating scroll pattern to the frame. 51cm (20in) high.
Sold for
£20,000
inc. premium
Footnotes
- Ridel is recorded as working in Paris' Rue aux Ours from circa 1800 until circa 1810.
The revolutionary calendar was introduced in 1793 and comprised of 12 months, each of 30 days.
Created by a committee of artists, poets and mathematicians, each day was given an individual name and the months renamed to reflect the seasons. Due to the discrepancy between the lunar year and the decimal year there were five days left over (six on a leap year) which were each named after a revolutionary ideal, virtue, genius, work, opinion, reward and revolution.
The complexity of the new calendar proved very unpopular and it was abolished in 1806. This clock shows the tendency of the time to partially adapt to the revolutionary calendar by incorporating Gregorian month names with decimal dates.
Comparative literature:
A similar example by Le Comte, Paris, with paste set bezel and painted panels to the base is illustrated in Tardy's La Pendule Francaise' 2me Partie, page 168.
Category: Clocks and Watches / Clocks
Auction terms and conditions
Contacts
Charles Crisford
Bonhams
Work
101 New Bond Street
London,
W1S 1SR
United Kingdom
WorkTel:
+44 20 7468 8371
FaxFax: +44 20 7468 8370
Auction Administration
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Clocks
Alexandra Viano
Bonhams
Work
101 New Bond Street
London,
W1S 1SR
United Kingdom
WorkTel:
+44 20 7468 5842
FaxFax: +44 20 7468 8370
Auction Administration
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Clocks
James Stratton
Bonhams
Work
101 New Bond Street
London,
W1S 1SR
United Kingdom
WorkTel:
+44 207 468 8364
FaxFax: +44 207 468 8370
Specialist
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Clocks