Figural mantel clock - Spelter, Alabaster - 1850-1900

Type and Era: This is a French mantel clock with a pendulum (Parisian style) dating to the second half of the 19th century (the full Napoleon III / Eclecticism period). Structure and Subject: It features a rich figurative sculpted case with a female figure and a putto (cherub) resting on the dial, finished with floral and rocaille vegetal motifs at the base. The dial is white enamel with Roman numerals. Materials: The sculpture and the friezes are typically made of gilded bronze or, very commonly for the period, gilded antimony (a light metal alloy), set on a base that appears to incorporate inserts of white marble or alabaster. Valuable Element: The presence of the original glass bell with its dark ebony-veneered wooden base is a very positive factor, as it protects the mechanism from dust and is an era-typical element frequently prone to breakage, hence difficult to find intact. Currently the lot has no reserve price.

Estimate:$280.11

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