Chinese-style Pendulum Clock With Two Candelabra, Dial Signed

Exceptional "Chinese-style" clock in patinated bronze and mercury-gilded bronze, signed
Imbert l’Aîné, Paris

Louis XV period – Louis XV/Louis XVI transition, circa 1775–1785

The movement is in working order; it has been serviced by a Swiss watchmaker.
Chimes the hours and half-hours.

Rare and spectacular mantelpiece set consisting of a clock and a pair of candelabra, crafted in chiseled bronze, patinated, and richly gilded with mercury. This work elegantly illustrates the 18th-century taste for Orientalist scenes and “chinoiserie,” a theme particularly sought after in Parisian decorative arts during the reign of Louis XV and into the early reign of Louis XVI.

The clock features a substantial movement housed within a rich setting of rocaille foliage and asymmetrical scrollwork. The circular white enamel dial, featuring Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes, is signed “Imbert L’aîné – Paris,” one of the most prestigious signatures in late 18th-century Parisian watchmaking.
Jean-Gabriel Imbert, known as “Imbert l’Aîné,” was one of the most important Parisian master clockmakers of his time; having received his master’s certification in 1776, he collaborated with the capital’s finest bronze casters and enamellers and served a clientele of the highest-ranking aristocracy.

The clock’s architecture is based on a particularly theatrical composition: two oriental figures seated on either side of the base seem to symbolically support the movement, while a third figure, sheltered under a parasol, crowns the ensemble. The figures are rendered in brown-black patinated bronze and accented with original red lacquer, creating a striking contrast with the richness of the gilding.

The matching pair of candelabra echoes the same decorative vocabulary. Each candelabrum features a Chinese figure dressed in a red robe, seated on a dynamic rocaille terrace.
The finely chiseled arms, shaped like plant stems and foliage, form an elegant asymmetrical composition characteristic of late Rocaille style.
One of the figures holds a fan, the other an attribute evoking music or the court arts, reinforcing the narrative and exotic character of the ensemble.

The quality of the bronze, the finesse of the chiseling, the excellence of the mercury gilding—still very much intact—as well as the rare preservation of the original red polychromy attest to a work crafted for a high-ranking clientele.
This work follows in the tradition of the great Parisian bronze casters active in the 1770s and 1780s, a period during which chinoiserie designs reached their peak.

The movement is fitted with its original enamel dial and openwork gilded bronze hands.
The signature “Imbert l’Aîné Paris” is a key indicator of authenticity and prestige, as this clockmaker’s pieces are now held in major private and public collections.

Condition:
Very good overall condition. Original gilding with beautiful depth and a uniform patina. Red polychromy largely preserved. Enameled dial in good condition. Minor wear consistent with age and use.

Origin: Paris.

Period: circa 1775–1785.

Materials: mercury-gilded bronze, patinated bronze, enamel.

Style: Chinoiserie, Louis XV–Louis XVI Transition.

Attribution: movement signed Imbert l’Aîné, Paris.
This is a museum-quality piece, far superior to the 19th-century productions typically encountered.
The signature of Imbert l’Aîné, the quality of the bronze, and the presence of the original pair of candelabra are major assets for display in a refined interior.