A French 19th century alabaster and gilt metal maiden seated…
click the photo to enlarge
A French 19th century alabaster and gilt metal maiden seated figured mantel clock. 40 cm high. pendulum in office.

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.
  • Alabaster - Alabaster is soft natural stone used for statuary, with a similar appearance to marble, but easier to work with. As it is softer than marble, an item made from alabaster can be scratched with a metal object, and an alabaster item does not polish to a high surface gloss like marble.

    Alabaster objects can be semi-translucent. Alabaster occurs in a pure white form and also with veining from dirt. Colours vary from white through yellow and pink to brown. The veining is usually green or black but can be multicoloured.

    Being semi-translucent, alabaster is often used for the bowls of figural lamps, with the figure itself being either alabaster or marble.
  • Pendulum - The pendulum was discovered around 1602 by Galileo Galilei, and was adopted for time keeping by the Dutch mathematician and natural philosopher, Christiaan Huygens, who excelled in astronomy, physics, and horology.

    The pendulum comprises a metal rod usually of brass or steel with a metal disk, known as a bob, at the end. The movement of the pendulum is driven by weights or a spring, and as a pendulum swings in a regular arc, it was found accuracy could be controlled to within a few seconds a week.

    Timekeeping can be adjusted by changing the height of the bob on the rod, making the pendulum either swing slower or faster.

    The disadvantage of the pendulum was that changes in temperature also changed the length of the pendulum, interfering with the accuracy of the clock, and so in the 18th century two types of mercurial pendulums were invented which countered the movement in the steel rod.

    The pendulum was the world's most accurate timekeeping technology until the invention of the quartz clock, regulated by a quartz crystal, in 1927.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

Late 19th century French mantle clock, by Leroy & Fils, Paris, with a silvered dial, with Roman numerals, with glass cover, set within empire architectural case, set with a coronet and dome finial, above facetted body accented with roundels and supports un

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

A French ormolu mantel clock, circa 1820, the rectangular base inset with a romantic frieze on four acanthus bracket feet, surmounted by a winged Psyche perched on the clock, modelled in classical draping robes and holding a butterfly as an allegory of lov

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

Late 19th century French mantle clock balloon dial with urn finial raised on claw feet

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

Antique French wooden mantle clock, (with pendulum but no key working order), 58 cm high, 35 cm wide, 16 cm deep

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