Lot 1
1
AN AUSTRIAN ORMOLU PETITE SONNERIE TRAVEL CLOCK WITH TRAVEL CASE DECORATED WITH THE ARMS OF NAPOLEON I AS KING OF ITALY
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more
AN AUSTRIAN ORMOLU PETITE SONNERIE TRAVEL CLOCK WITH TRAVEL CASE DECORATED WITH THE ARMS OF NAPOLEON I AS KING OF ITALY

CIRCA 1810

Details
AN AUSTRIAN ORMOLU PETITE SONNERIE TRAVEL CLOCK WITH TRAVEL CASE DECORATED WITH THE ARMS OF NAPOLEON I AS KING OF ITALY
Circa 1810
Modelled as an eagle on a naturalistic plinth surmounted by a drum case, with laurel leaf loop handle to the top, the dial with engine- turned centre and white enamel Roman chapter ring, Breguet blued steel hands, strike/silent lever at I, the short-duration three train movement with single chain and fusee for going train and barrels for strike and quarter-chime, balance wheel verge escapement with pierced and engraved bridge and regulation to back plate, strike and repeat on two bells; with original gilt-tooled red leather travel case showing the arms of Napoleon I as King of Italy, with old paper exhibition label to the reverse inscribed Fanfare for Europe/BRITISH ART MARKET/1973 EXHIBITION/No: 153; winding key
10 in. (25.5 cm.) high, over handle
Exhibited
Fanfare for Europe, The British Art Market, 1973 (An Exhibition sponsored by The British Antique Dealers' Association, Christie, Manson and Woods, The Society of London Art Dealers, Sotheby and Co.); at Christie's, St James', 4-11 January 1973, inventory number 153, exhibited by Stephen Moore Ltd.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Frederick Kaltenbock, Die Wiener Uhr, Callwey, 1988, pp.80-85 and p.161, fig.336; Charles Allix and Peter Bonnert, Carriage Clocks, Their History and Development, Antique Collectors' Club, 1974, pp.325-331; Derek Roberts, Carriage and Other Travelling Clocks, Schiffer, 1993, pp.250-257.
The use of an eagle motif on Austrian carriage clocks seems to be rare and none of the above mentioned show examples. Kaltenbock (p.161) shows a mantel clock with eagle support of related design to the present clock.
The arms are those of the Papal States, quartering Este, Milan, Venice and Savoy with Lombardy in pretence for Emperor Napoleon I (1769-1821) as King of Italy (1805-1814).

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