a louis xvi ormolu and white marble mantel clock

細節

a louis xvi ormolu and white marble mantel clock
The circular white enamelled dial with arabic numerals signed à Paris, within a beaded bezel and in an octagonal drum surmounted by a wicker basket with a bird's nest and flanked by trailing vine, on a canted waisted support mounted with a ram's head and flanked by bacchantes in classical dress, on a canted part-fluted base centred by a panel with bacchic youths, flanked by masks, surmounted by canted pedestals with cup-finials, on beaded bun feet
51cm. high x 36cm. wide x 11cm. deep

拍品專文

This mantel clock's octagonal case is flanked by bacchantes bearing a wine-tazza and a thyrsus. A wine-ewer and tazza are displayed on side altars that are supported on a cut-cornered plinth, with antique flute enrichments and bacchantes-masks together with a bas-relief of bacchic youths freeing a caged bird. This bas-relief features in reverse on another clock in the Residenz in Munich, which is illustrated in H.Ottomeyer P.Pröschel, et.al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. II, p.249, fig. 4.6.15. The bacchantes are possibly inspired by the figures represented in L'Offrande à l'amour, a design executed by L-S. Boizot in 1776 for reproduction in porcelain at the Sèvres factory. (G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Furniture, Clocks and Gilt Bronzes, Fribourg, 1974, vol. II, p. 741.)
An identical mantel clock, although with a later movement, was sold anonymously at Sotheby's Monaco, 14 June 1997, lot 111.

See illustration