Louis XVI Portico Clock Signed Baudin Au Petit Carreau 18th Century Gilt Bronze

This is a late-18th-century French Louis XVI-style portico clock in fire-gilded bronze and marble. The ormolu (mercury) gilding technique was used – pure gold is mixed with mercury, applied to the bronze surface, and then heated to evaporate the mercuryapolloartantiques.nlapolloartantiques.nl, producing a brilliant, durable gold finish. The clock has a neoclassical architecture: a molded base with carved winged putti and floral garlands supports two Corinthian columnsproantic.com. The entablature is richly ornamented with antique motifs (Greek key, palmettes, etc.) surmounted by winged griffinssothebys.com. A floral urn with griffon-head handles crowns the topproantic.com. The pendulum is a stylized sunburst, a symbol of Apollo and the Sun King. Egyptianizing elements (Medusa masks with radiating crowns) alternate with classic motifs (rosettes, drapery swags) throughout the decorationsothebys.comproantic.com.

Gilding technique: The clock is made of copper-alloy bronze fire-gilded (“doré au mercure”), a traditional method of the periodapolloartantiques.nl. This process (also called ormolu) ensures fine detail retention and a vivid gold colorapolloartantiques.nlapolloartantiques.nl.

Clockmaker: The enamel dial is signed “Baudin au Petit Carreau, Paris.” This refers to Jacques-François Baudin, a Parisian maker (master 1787) active in rue des Petits-Carreaux until 1815fraysse.net. Baudin created several similar portico clocks. Other Louis XVI clocks with allegorical scenes bear comparable signatures (e.g. “Baudin Fils aux Petits-Carreaux”)fraysse.net. The signature confirms its Parisian origin.

Movement & Condition: The movement has been fully serviced and is in perfect working order. It retains its original pendulum and winding keyproantic.comanticstore.com. Only conservation cleaning (no re-gilding) has been done, preserving the original gilt finishanticstore.com. The clock is complete and in excellent overall condition, with no significant restoration.

Dimensions:
Height - 45 cm;
Width - 38 cm;
Depth - 18 cm.