Lot Essay
This ormolu-enriched bronze clock is designed in the French manner after the Egyptian style promoted by Baron Vivant Denon's Voyages dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte, 1802, and C. Percier and P. Fontaine's Recueil de decorations interieurs, 1802. Its clock-movement, signed 'Vulliamy London No. 432' is incorporated in a pylon-shaped 'altar' case, that is supported obelisk-fashion by addorsed sphinx. A winged globe and uraei crown the cornice, while the face is wreathed by a serpent, symbolising Eternity, and the plinth is enriched with the sun or falcon-god Horus, inspired by a bas-relief at Dendera. Both this and the cobras derive from Denon's Voyages (pl. LVII, figs. 2 and 7) while the spandrel falcons from the temple at Philae appear in pl. LII, fig. II. The model of the sphinx, guardians of wisdom, corresponds with those serving as paper-weights on an inkstand provided in 1810 to George, Prince of Wales, later King George IV by his 'furniture man' Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (d. 1854) who held the Royal Warrant (G. de Bellaigue, 'The Vulliamys and France', Furniture History Society Journal, 1967, pp. 45-53). In the latter's manufacture the Vulliamys were assisted by the Parisian bronze-founder Pierre-Maximilien Delafontaine (d. 1860) as a supplier of chased bronze mounts, such as the six sphinxes provided in 1807.
Described as 'An Egyptian Ornamental Clock', this clock was purchased in February 1808 by Dr. Vaughan and corresponded to an earlier clock, bearing the number 414, that Vulliamy had supplied to a Mr. Laurell or Lansell in December 1807. The third version, numbered 438, was purchased for 50 Guineas on 5 June 1812 by Princess Mary (d. 1857), daughter of King George III. Vulliamy's account books revealed that while Barnett was responsible for the decorative motifs and Seagrave the gilding, the serpent dial was supplied by Houle. This clock is now in the Victoria & Albert Museum (J.M Humbert et al., op. cit., no. 145).
The manufacturing costs for this 'Egyptian ornamental clock' appear in the Vulliamy MSS, preserved by the British Horological Institute:-
No. 432
Barnett casting the patterns of the small ornaments. .. 4.6
2/6
--------------------- the 2 square mouldgs at 1/8 ea.......3.9
Couling filing up the small figs.......................#2.0.0.
Pentin examining of Do.....................................3.6
dial.................... 8.0
Barnett casting the four sphinxes.......................1.2.0.
Houle chasing two of the sphinxes.......................4.0.0.
Couling fitting up two of the sphinxes..................1.4.0.
Caney chasing of do. ...................................2.0.0.
Smith the back door.....................................2.2.0.
Smith the back door.....................................0.4.0.
Johnston bronzing bob and back door.......................4.0.
Fisher the 2 metal frames and mounting part of the cases
4 days at 4/- ...........................................16.0.
Jacot turning dial and ring 1 day.........................5.6.
Barnett casting snake ring..................................9.
Harrison chasing the 14 small ornaments...................7.0.
Seagrave gilding sphinxes not gilt......................3.1.0.
Jackson the movement...................................5.10.0.
Osborn the glass shade.................................1.10.0.
Barrow 2 days............................................12.0.
Walker 1 day..............................................8.0.
Day the case............................................6.9.0.
velvet....................................................2.3.
the stand..........................................16.3.
Hutley 2 days............................................10.0.
Drew painting the plate...................................2.6.
Chaband engraving the plate.............................2.2.0.
Walker six days at 5/-.................................1.10.0.
Swift the hands...........................................7.0.
Described as 'An Egyptian Ornamental Clock', this clock was purchased in February 1808 by Dr. Vaughan and corresponded to an earlier clock, bearing the number 414, that Vulliamy had supplied to a Mr. Laurell or Lansell in December 1807. The third version, numbered 438, was purchased for 50 Guineas on 5 June 1812 by Princess Mary (d. 1857), daughter of King George III. Vulliamy's account books revealed that while Barnett was responsible for the decorative motifs and Seagrave the gilding, the serpent dial was supplied by Houle. This clock is now in the Victoria & Albert Museum (J.M Humbert et al., op. cit., no. 145).
The manufacturing costs for this 'Egyptian ornamental clock' appear in the Vulliamy MSS, preserved by the British Horological Institute:-
No. 432
Barnett casting the patterns of the small ornaments. .. 4.6
2/6
--------------------- the 2 square mouldgs at 1/8 ea.......3.9
Couling filing up the small figs.......................#2.0.0.
Pentin examining of Do.....................................3.6
dial.................... 8.0
Barnett casting the four sphinxes.......................1.2.0.
Houle chasing two of the sphinxes.......................4.0.0.
Couling fitting up two of the sphinxes..................1.4.0.
Caney chasing of do. ...................................2.0.0.
Smith the back door.....................................2.2.0.
Smith the back door.....................................0.4.0.
Johnston bronzing bob and back door.......................4.0.
Fisher the 2 metal frames and mounting part of the cases
4 days at 4/- ...........................................16.0.
Jacot turning dial and ring 1 day.........................5.6.
Barnett casting snake ring..................................9.
Harrison chasing the 14 small ornaments...................7.0.
Seagrave gilding sphinxes not gilt......................3.1.0.
Jackson the movement...................................5.10.0.
Osborn the glass shade.................................1.10.0.
Barrow 2 days............................................12.0.
Walker 1 day..............................................8.0.
Day the case............................................6.9.0.
velvet....................................................2.3.
the stand..........................................16.3.
Hutley 2 days............................................10.0.
Drew painting the plate...................................2.6.
Chaband engraving the plate.............................2.2.0.
Walker six days at 5/-.................................1.10.0.
Swift the hands...........................................7.0.