Ormolu Automaton Mantel Clock - Le Roy de Paris (1820)

An ormolu automaton mantel clock, Le Roy de Paris, circa 1820…
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An ormolu automaton mantel clock, Le Roy de Paris, circa 1820 the case in the form of a twin turreted castle and moat, the French mechanism causing the boat to rock, approximately 61 x 42.5 x 26.5 cm including base, clock movement signed. Accompanied by two winding keys. Provenance: The Barry Stern collection of fine Australian and European paintings, furniture and works of Art, Sotheby's Australia, 14 October 1990, lot 153, illustrated. Private collection, New South Wales, acquired from the above

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  • 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.
  • Movement - The technical name for the workings of a clock or watch, and does not include the dial or case.
  • Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.

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