Extremely Rare Louis XVI Period Clock In Gilt Bronze And Porphyry - Circa 1780

Louis XVI period table clock in finely chased and gilded bronze, enriched with porphyry panels, a truly museum-quality work, remarkable both for its uniqueness and its exceptional finesse of execution. This type of combination – mercury-gilded bronze and genuine porphyry panels – ranks among the most prestigious productions of late 18th-century Parisian craftsmanship, porphyry being reserved for the most sumptuous commissions due to the extreme difficulty of working this material.

The case, perfectly proportioned, is distinguished by a decoration of rare elegance: around the white enamel dial coil two richly chased cornucopias, symbols of prosperity, while the top is adorned with a charming group of two facing doves, an allegory of harmony and fidelity. The bronzes, executed with a refined alternation of matte and burnished gilding, testify to a workshop of the highest virtuosity.

The porphyry panels, cut and fitted with remarkable precision into their gilded bronze mounts, enhance the visual presence and nobility of the ensemble. Porphyry, an imperial material par excellence since antiquity, appears extremely rarely on clocks of this type, further emphasizing the exceptional and likely unique character of this piece. To date, no comparable model is known, neither by its form, nor by its combination of materials, nor by the richness of its decoration.

The movement, signed Vincent & Cie and stamped “Médaille d’Argent 1855,” is remarkable in its own right. Replacing the original mechanism that had become non-functional, it was specially made for this clock, with a silk-thread suspension, an already exceptional technique at a time when blade suspensions had become the standard. This adaptation, technically demanding and costly, demonstrates the care and attention devoted to this object as early as the 19th century, further enhancing the value and quality of this exceptional clock.

Through the harmony of its lines, the nobility of its materials, the rarity of its porphyry, the excellence of its chasing, and the exceptional quality of its custom-made movement, this clock undoubtedly ranks among the finest collector pieces, perfectly suited to a museum setting or a discerning private collection.

Dimensions:
H.: 30 cm (12 in.); W.: 17 cm (6¾ in.); D.: 14 cm (5½ in.)