Clock And Candlestick Bronze Watchmaker: Mougin

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A Napoleon III period mantel garniture, craftedaround 1860 in gilt bronze, comprising a mantel clock and a pair offive-light candelabra; the set exemplifies the Second Empire’staste for the Louis XV Rocaille style, reinterpreted with remarkabledecorative exuberance.

The pieces rest on broad, shaped bases with undulating contours,defined by finely chased moldings and supported by small circular feet.The fully openwork bases feature a spectacular architectural designcomposed of bold asymmetrical scrolls, counter-curves, scrollingfoliage, bursting shells, and Rocaille cartouches—forming anintricate sculptural network that allows light to pass through freely.Interlacing crossbars weave elegantly around openwork sections, lendingthe ensemble a sense of lightness despite the richness of the material.

The clock rises with a strikingly slender vertical profile. Its fullycontoured case adopts a sinuous silhouette, animated by deep moldingsand prominent foliate brackets flanking the central body. The sidesfeature large openings adorned with openwork grilles and carvedscrolls, while the lower section expands into an imposing Rocaillecomposition of acanthus leaves, open shells, and vigorous scrollingfoliage.

The circular white enamel dial is framed by a gilt-bronze bezel. Itfeatures a double scale: hours in blue Roman numerals and minutes inblack Arabic numerals set along a peripheral track. Slender, richlypierced gilt-bronze hands enhance the ensemble's refinement. Beneaththe dial, a delicate bouquet of finely chased roses and naturalisticflowers blooms within a molded frame, creating a harmonious transitionto the bold brackets below. The upper section is crowned by aspectacular finial featuring a large radiating shell from which springsa rich spray of foliage, flowers, and sweeping rocaille scrolls,creating a dynamic silhouette that elegantly tops the composition. Themovement bears the Mougin stamp, a mark of high-quality craftsmanship.

The two candelabra faithfully echo the clock’s decorativevocabulary, creating a perfectly cohesive garniture. Their shaped,openwork bases replicate the same motifs of acanthus leaves, shells,rocaille cartouches, and foliate scrolls. They support an elegantpedestal adorned with bold scrolls and a substantial gadrooned vasedecorated with floral garlands and broad water leaves. The central stemrises as a cluster of leafy stalks, giving way to five candle armsharmoniously arranged around the central axis. Each arm features agraceful, scroll-like curve, richly ornamented with acanthus leaves andfinely chased veining. The shaped drip pans hold gadrooned candle cupsdecorated with foliage and floral garlands. At the top of eachcandelabra rises a fifth central light, crowned by an elegant openworkflame-shaped finial—comprising an ornamental vase topped by aprominent rocaille flourish—which lends a majestic verticality tothe ensemble.

The quality of the bronze, the precision of the chasing, the richnessof the relief work, and the finesse of the gilding perfectly showcasethe virtuosity of Parisian bronziers during the Napoleon III period,making this imposing garniture a remarkable example of mid-19th-centuryFrench decorative metalwork.

Original mechanism intact and unmodified. Strikes the hours andhalf-hours on an antique bell with a clear, authentic tone.

Pendule: Hauteur: 42 cm / Largeur : 21 cm/ Profondeur : 16 cm
Chandeliers : Hauteur50 cm / Largeur: 23 cm