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ID #SA740455
FOR SALE
£1,450
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Ormolu French Gilt Bronze Figural Clock with the Female Figure of Chastity Pointing at a Font of Holy Water
For sale by Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria
for sale €1,697     $1,842
£1,450
Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria

Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria

Sellingantiques Verified Since Nov 2020
Browse dealers 98 items
  • About Us
    We specialise in flintlock pistols, muskets, clocks & watches
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Id #SA740455
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Ormolu French Gilt Bronze Figural Clock with the Female Figure of Chastity Pointing at a Font of Holy Water

19th century
Description

The Inscription on dial “Brevet De Perfection”.

Stamped on the backplate with the French maker “Farret a’ Paris” . Circa 1830.

8 day movement with silk suspension, outside countwheel, striking on a bell.

Date of Manufacture

Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria has dated this French Ormolu Figural Clock to the 19th Century.

Independent Date Check ID 06183185
Dealer's Item Date19th Century
Sellingantiques Date19th Century
Sellingantiques agingItem 180-205 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 19TH CENTURY:
Silk suspension on the movement: standard French clockmaking practice before 1850.
Outside countwheel on the rear plate: striking system common to early 19th-century movements.
Farret à Paris maker's stamp: recorded Parisian horologist active during the 1830s.
Troubadour romantic figure and Gothic ornament: popular decorative taste of the Charles X era.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Physical Dimensions
Height
47cm (18.50")
Width
33cm (12.99")
Depth
13cm (5.12")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA740455
Dealers Internal Reference
Feb24-03
Dealers Notes

Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria, Portobello Road

WE are open every Saturday between 9.30 - 3.30pm in Chelsea Galleries 67 Portobello Road London.

We are at the front of the gallery, on the 1st aisle.

Web page:-

https://peterharrisclocks.com/welcome/

Description
The Inscription on dial “Brevet De Perfection”.

Stamped on the backplate with the French maker “Farret a’ Paris” . Circa 1830.

8 day movement with silk suspension, outside countwheel, striking on a bell.

Date of Manufacture

Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria has dated this French Ormolu Figural Clock to the 19th Century.

Independent Date Report ID 06183185
Dealer's Item Date19th Century
Sellingantiques dating19th Century
Sellingantiques agingItem 180-205 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 19th Century:
Silk suspension on the movement: standard French clockmaking practice before 1850.
Outside countwheel on the rear plate: striking system common to early 19th-century movements.
Farret à Paris maker's stamp: recorded Parisian horologist active during the 1830s.
Troubadour romantic figure and Gothic ornament: popular decorative taste of the Charles X era.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
47cm (18.50")
Width
33cm (12.99")
Depth
13cm (5.12")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA740455
Dealers Internal Ref
Feb24-03
Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria
Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria
Sellingantiques verified Since Nov 2020

We specialise in flintlock pistols, muskets, clocks & watches

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria Profile Page

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A nineteenth-century French gilt bronze mantel clock featuring a draped female figure standing beside a clock housing topped with a holy water font and cross.
1 / 4
Archive I A nineteenth-century French gilt bronze mantel clock featuring a draped female figure standing beside a clock housing topped with a holy water font and cross.

Ormolu French Gilt Bronze Figural Clock with the Female Figure of Chastity Pointing at a Font of Holy Water

Archive II A nineteenth-century French gilt bronze mantel clock featuring a draped female figure standing beside a clock housing topped with a holy water font and cross. View II
Archive III A nineteenth-century French gilt bronze mantel clock featuring a draped female figure standing beside a clock housing topped with a holy water font and cross. View III
Archive IV A nineteenth-century French gilt bronze mantel clock featuring a draped female figure standing beside a clock housing topped with a holy water font and cross. View IV
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Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria

Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria
Telephone 07930 536818
Location
London
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/peterharrisclocks
Verified Since Nov 2020
Items For Sale 98
Items Sold 112
Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria
Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria
Verified Since Nov 2020
View Dealer Info
Location: London, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/peterharrisclocks
Verified
Nov 2020
For Sale
98
Sold
112
A nineteenth-century French gilt bronze mantel clock featuring a draped female figure standing beside a clock housing topped with a holy water font and cross.
Ormolu French Gilt Bronze Figural clock with the Female figure of chastity pointing at a font of Holy Water
Ref: SA740455
A nineteenth-century French gilt bronze mantel clock featuring a draped female figure standing beside a clock housing topped with a holy water font and cross.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectMantel Clocks
  • Period19th century
  • StyleFrench Restoration
  • MaterialGilt Bronze, Enamel, Glass
  • ColourGold
  • MotifsFigural sculpture, Rocaille scrolls, Enamel dial, Holy water font
  • SizeH 47 cm (19 in) x W 33 cm (13 in) x D 13 cm (5 in)

This nineteenth-century French mantel clock is rendered in gilt bronze and stands as an example of the French Restoration period. The piece incorporates an enamel dial with Roman numerals protected by a glass cover, housed within an ornate square case decorated with foliate scrolls. Surmounting the clock housing is a figural structure depicting a holy water font beneath a Christian cross, alongside a standing female figure draped in flowing robes. The entire assembly rests upon a substantial, stepped plinth embellished with Rocaille scrollwork, elaborate relief carvings of winged figures, and scrolling feet. Measuring 47 cm high, 33 cm wide, and 13 cm deep, the clock operates on an eight-day movement with silk suspension, featuring an outside countwheel and striking on a bell. The dial bears the inscription "Brevet De Perfection", and the backplate carries the stamp of the Parisian maker "Farret a' Paris". Suited for display on a mantelpiece in a traditionally styled interior, the clock functions as both a decorative centrepiece and a timekeeping device.

FAQs

French figural mantel clocks from the nineteenth century are characterised by high-relief gilded bronze or zinc alloy sculptures mounted alongside or above a central clock movement. These timepieces typically feature allegorical, classical, romantic, or religious narratives expressed through detailed metalwork.

Traditional ormolu clocks were constructed from cast bronze that was mercury-gilded to achieve a durable, high-shine gold finish. The clock dials were commonly made from white enamelled copper with hand-painted numerals, set within heavy cast brass or bronze housings.

Authentic pieces feature fine hand-chasing details on the metal casting, heavy overall weight due to solid bronze construction, and French movement plates often stamped with maker marks or serial numbers. The gilding on genuine nineteenth-century pieces typically displays subtle wear on high points without modern chemical spray residue.

A gilt bronze clock functions effectively as a focal piece on a marble fireplace mantelpiece, credenza, or console table. Modern styling pairs these ornate golden objects against dark, muted wall tones or textured stone surfaces to emphasize their sculptural silhouetting.

Ormolu finishes should be dusted gently using a soft, dry camel-hair brush to avoid scratching the gilding. Chemical polishes and abrasive cleaners must be avoided, as they strip the delicate original gold layer and alter the patination.
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