FRENCH ORMOLU & SEVRE-STYLE PORCELAIN MANTEL CLOCK - REF No. 141

Product Details

H: 17 1/2 in / 44.5 cm ; W: 12 in / 30.4 cm ; D: 5 1/4 in / 13.4 cm

A highly decorative 19th-century French mantel clock, executed in the Louis XVI revival style, combining rich ormolu with Sèvres-style hand-painted porcelain panels. The clock is surmounted by a finely cast cherub seated atop a basket of flowers, symbolising love and abundance.

The dial features Roman numerals on a cobalt blue ring with delicate gilt accents, enclosing a painted classical scene at the centre. Surrounding the dial are four porcelain cartouches: two portraits of aristocratic ladies in 18th-century dress and a central pastoral scene of lovers in a garden, all framed in ornate ormolu mounts.

The case is profusely decorated with floral swags, rosettes, and scrolling acanthus, resting on a shaped gilt bronze base with toupie feet. This clock embodies the opulence and romanticism of the French Second Empire, reflecting the enduring influence of Sèvres porcelain in luxury décor.

Circa 1870

France