Gilt Bronze Clock With Celestial Globe – Allegory Of Astronomy – Napoleon III

Finely chased and mercury-gilt bronze mantel clock, in the Restauration style, executed during the Second Empire, circa 1860.

The composition depicts an elegant female allegorical figure of Astronomy, absorbed in the consultation of a manuscript beside an architectural base decorated with sculpted volumes in relief. The scene is articulated around a remarkable midnight-blue enamel celestial globe highlighted with gilt stars, accompanied by a winged putto holding scientific instruments and a lateral sundial — symbolic of knowledge and the measurement of time.

The ensemble rests on a finely detailed neoclassical base adorned with palmette friezes, swags, a central mask and scholarly attributes, reflecting the 19th-century academic reinterpretation of Antiquity.

The dial features Roman numerals on an enamel ground and bears a partially legible signature.

The movement is stamped FORGRE, a 19th-century Parisian maker.

The mechanism has been fully overhauled by a professional horologist.

The clock will be delivered in perfect working order, complete with pendulum and key, and carries a one-year guarantee.

Dimensions:

Height: 41 cm

Width: 32.5 cm

Depth: 11.5 cm

Very good overall condition.

The mercury gilding retains a bright, harmonious patina with minor wear consistent with age, without affecting the decorative integrity of the piece.

A refined and scholarly decorative work, perfectly illustrating the 19th-century neoclassical aesthetic.