A MATCHED NAPOLEON III GILT AND PATINATED BRONZE MANTEL CLOCK GARNITURE À LA JAPONAIS

Details

A MATCHED NAPOLEON III GILT AND PATINATED BRONZE MANTEL CLOCK GARNITURE À LA JAPONAIS

SIGNED CHRISTOFLE ET CIE

The circular silvered dial with roman and arabic chapters within a shaped rectangular screen-form case depicting silver inlaid rabbits foraging in a landscape surmounted by a mythical beastly mask with pierced scrolling crest, within damascened borders above pierced fretwork, on shaped arched feet of scrolled foliage
20½in. (52cm.) high
together with a pair of associated gilt and patinated bronze vases with baluster-form body depicting blossoming branches and bamboo beneath a crane flanked by loop handles and a shaped rim, on a rectangular plinth raised on shaped ruyi feet, signed 'Christofle & Cie
11¼in. (28.5cm.) high (3)

Lot Essay

This matched garniture à la Japonnaise relates to a pair of corner cabinets decorated in the same style and exhibited at the Exposition Universelle of 1878. These cabinets through their fine quality and interpretive oriental design were considered by many to be the most beautiful. These standards of high quality had origins in the early days of Christofle et Cie. The firm was founded by Charles Christofle (1805-1863) who began his career as a jeweler but by the 1830's moved to the production of silver and household plate. In 1842 he purchased the Elkington and Ruolz electroplating patents which secured the monopoly on this process in France. He made tablewares in a variety of historical styles and was later commissioned by Napoleon III to produce a large dinner service. In addition to tablewares he made furniture in the Louis XVI style as well as fine bronze mounts. The firm passed to his son Paul and nephew Henri Bouilhet upon his death and is still in existence today. (See J. Fleming and H. Honour, The Dictionary of Decorative Arts, 1986, pp. 186-187),