Empire ‘Pendule Amor’ in fire-gilded bronze, Paris, c. 1815
Key facts
- Production time
- 1815
- Country of manufacture
- France
Description
Extremely rare Parisian pendulum clock in fire-gilt bronze, ‘Allegory of Love’, c. 1815 Choiselat-Gallien Fabt de Bronzes du Garde-Meuble Lesieur H. A Paris The case is supported by four flattened spherical feet, upon which rests the angular plinth, decorated with two angels and two elves; to the left of this is the clock body, featuring a depiction of Cupid and Psyche as well as various bouquets of flowers (mainly roses); this is crowned by a trefoil-shaped column featuring two cooing doves in a bowl full of roses. To the right of this stands the winged Cupid, holding a torch in his left hand and a rose (possibly a later addition) in his right. To the left of the clock stands a figure holding a quiver and a wreath of flowers. The bronze case is in good condition for its age; the fire-gilding is very well preserved, as are the polished areas. The rose, the torch and the quiver are only loosely fitted and clamped in place. The movement, featuring a thread suspension and hook escapement, has been fully overhauled and readjusted by a master watchmaker; it runs for approximately 14 days and strikes the half and full hours on a bell. The dial is slightly damaged around the winding mechanisms and shows some hairline cracks. It is marked: Choiselat-Gallien Fabt de Bronzes du Garde-Meuble Lesieur H. A Paris According to Tardy, Lesieur was a clockmaker who was based in the Vielle rue du Temple in Paris from 1806 onwards. Dimensions: Height: 47 cm Width: 33.5 cm Depth: 14 cm All in all, a superbly crafted late Empire-period bronze pendulum clock of a kind rarely found.