“hermès” Gilt And Patinated Bronze Clock Charles X Period 1830-1840

A substantial French bronze mantel clock: rectangular plinth with applied musical trophy, a rocky mound framing the dial, and an accomplished figure of Hermes/Mercury seated above. The god is identified by his caduceus, winged cap (petasos) and winged sandals (talaria)—canonical attributes in Classical art linking him to swift messaging, travel and commerce.

Finely chased bronze with olive-brown patina for the figure, contrasted by richly fire-gilt bronze mounts for the rocky base, dial surround, rooster, trophy and highlights (wings, ankle band). The finish shows the visual hallmarks of early-19th-century mercury gilding (ormolu), with matte grounds and burnished accents.

Round dial with silvered Roman chapter ring and a guilloché gilt center; the bezel is cast as a snake biting its tail—the ouroboros, widely read as a sign of eternity and the cyclical nature of time, a fitting conceit for clocks.
At the left stands a rooster, an occasional attribute of Hermes and a broader emblem of dawn and watchfulness; in France it also resonates with the national symbol, the Gallic rooster.
The plinth bears an applied musical trophy centered by a lyre, a neoclassical motif frequently encountered on Restoration/Charles X figurative clocks with prominent sculptural groups.

Scale, casting quality, mercury gilding and mythological subject correspond to Paris production of the Charles X / early Louis-Philippe decades, circa 1830–1840.

French mouvement de Paris with bell striking visible to the rear; two winding squares (time/strike) and Breguet-type hands. (Working condition not assessed at listing time; sold as seen.)

Original gilding well preserved with light age wear; olive patina to the figure in very good state; sharply chased facial features, fingers and toes. Minor marks consistent with age.

Height: 66 cm
Width: 41 cm
Depth: 20 cm