An Italian Janetti Padre Figlio Torino mantle clock, in gilded…
click the photo to enlarge
An Italian Janetti Padre Figlio Torino mantle clock, in gilded and 'Watteau' painted case with ormolu mounts, 55 cm high

You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.

Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item

When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
  • Ormolu - Ormolu was popular with French craftsmen in the 18th and 19th century for ornamental fittings for furniture, clocks and other decorative items. True ormolu is gilt bronze, that is bronze that has been coated with gold using a mercury amalgam. Due to the health risks associated with using mercury, this method of creating ormolu was discontinued in France in the 1830s. A substitute was developed consisting of about 75% copper and 25% zinc, however it was inferior to the bronze version. It was often lacquered to prevent it tarnishing.
  • Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.

    For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.

    Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

A rare Louis XV ormolu mounted red lacquer mantel clock by Edme-Jean Causard (1720-1780), circa 1760-70, the clock of waisted form, the ormolu finial depicting the Triumph of love above the porcelain Roman numeral dial with sun King pendulum, eight day cou

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

Royal Bonn German porcelain mantle clock, floral decoration to dial with Roman numerals. Key available and appears operational. Height 34 cm

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A French Louis XV cartel clock. Maker L.Eveque. Paris, the clock with an eight day count wheel bell strike movement, and enamelled Roman numeral dial, within a case finely cast with floral and foliate decoration. 36 cm high.

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

An Imari ware vase mounted as a Louis XV style clock having gilded bronze mounts. Height: 56 cm

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.