Louis XVI Period Cartel, By Jc Delafosse

Cartel from the Louis XVI period, by Jean - Charles Delafosse (Paris 1734 - 1789), in finely chiseled bronze and gilded with mercury; Model said to be the remains of the Nemean lion. A preparatory drawing from the 1770s is preserved in Waddesdon Manor. This cartel model perfectly illustrates the repertoire of Greek taste and the return to the Antique, which became very fashionable again at the beginning of the last quarter of the 18th century. The box is surmounted by an antique vase resting on a console entablature decorated with gadroons. The white enamel dial indicates the hours in Roman numerals and the minutes in Arabic numerals. It is surrounded by pilasters surmounted by the heads of Rams. The remains of the Nemean Lion adorn the entire base of the dial. The lower part adorns the damping with a Greek decoration, simulating pine cones, dentils, and a large seed retained by large acanthus leaves. Very good state of conservation of the period mercury gilding. Movement in very good working order, with wire suspension. Original winding key