Clock Melancholic Young Woman – Pons 1827

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Of remarkable elegance, this Restoration-period mantel clock, dating from around 1830, is crafted in mercury-gilded bronze with fine gold, finely chased and combined with elements in silvered bronze. Its sculptural composition is particularly refined and reflects the Restoration period’s taste for elegant female figures and richly ornamented decorative compositions. The silvered-bronze dial, with Roman numerals, is framed by a succession of beaded and twisted mouldings. The movement bears the signature “Pons 1827”, that of the clockmaker Honoré Pons, an important French mechanic and clockmaker whose production is referenced in Tardy’s *Dictionnaire des horlogers français*.

The composition unfolds with great naturalness around a melancholy young woman, depicted in a pensive attitude, her head delicately inclined and her expression imbued with gentleness and reverie. Her costume, freely inspired by seventeenth- and eighteenth-century women’s fashion, is distinguished by a fitted bodice, a wide neckline edged with lace, generous puffed sleeves and delicate embroidered ornaments, giving the figure an elegant and timeless appearance. Casually seated upon a large, richly draped cushion adorned with an elegant tassel, she gently rests one arm upon it, while her other hand holds a silvered-bronze handkerchief. Beside her rests a remarkable musical instrument, a mandolin, whose long neck and finely detailed body are rendered in gilded bronze, evoking with refinement the world of music and the arts. At the centre, the circular silvered-bronze dial, engraved with Roman numerals and fitted with finely shaped hands, stands out elegantly against the warm gilding of the bronze; it is framed by several rows of beads, twisted cords and mouldings. The whole rests upon a richly ornamented rectangular architectural structure decorated with palmettes, scrolling foliage, volutes and foliate motifs, while the lower section features a remarkable repetitive frieze of neo-Gothic motifs, including pointed arches, finials, palmettes and arabesques, extended by powerful console feet with generous volutes. The subtle alternation between gilded bronze and silvered bronze further enhances the relief and richness of this sculptural composition.

Through its authenticity, monumental presence and exceptional quality of chasing, this mantel clock constitutes a particularly fine example of French decorative art of the Restoration period. The combination of gilded and silvered bronze, the finely sculpted female figure and, above all, the richness of its architectural structure make it an especially decorative piece, equally suited to a collection of antique horology or to an interior seeking a historic object of strong character. The clearly identifiable signature “Pons 1827” on the movement provides additional horological interest to this ensemble, whose composition, gilding and sculptural presence bear witness to the remarkable craftsmanship of early nineteenth-century France.

Original movement, intact and without modification, with silk-thread suspension. Striking of the hours and half-hours on an antique bell, producing a clear and authentic tone.