Fire-gilded French Empire ‘Pendule Portier’ from Chartres, c. 1820
Key facts
- Production time
- 1820
- Country of manufacture
- France
- Signatures
- Doorman in Chartres
- Movement
- Pendulum movement with half-hour chime on a bell
Description
Pendulum clock ‘Allegory of Transience’ marked ‘Portier a Chartres’ The tall plinth rests on finely chiselled feet, with a floral garland attached to the front, upon which stands the small, winged cupid pointing to a soap bubble (a blue glass sphere, added later) as a symbol of transience; next to it is the clockwork mechanism, crowned with shells and a foot bowl. The case has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good condition for its age (i.e. slight wear to the fire-gilding, particularly on the more thinly gilded side panels and the back; the front garland has a crack, possibly dating from the time of manufacture) The dial, which is also fire-gilded and decorated with floral motifs, shows some wear around the numerals. The fine pendulum movement, featuring a hook escapement and half-hour strike (via a lock disc), runs for approximately 8 days; it is signed ‘Portier a Chartres’. The lot includes a matching thread pendulum (added at a later date) and two matching keys (for winding and for operating the fine adjustment). Dimensions of the clock: Height: 29 cm Width: 21 cm Depth: 8 cm