636 - FRANKREICH

FRANKREICH Title: Museum-Quality Mantel Clock Set with Elephant and Flute Musical Mechanism Louis XV Style. Date: Mid 18th c. Designer: The case, designed by Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain. Material: Fire-gilded or patinated bronze, tortoise shell among others. Measurement: 72.5 x 47 x 25 cm. Description: A fully three-dimensional figure of an elephant stands on a curved, ebonised socle case with rich gilt bronze and brass fittings in the shape of rocaille motifs, foliage and volutes. On its back rests the round richly ornamented clock case, supported at the side by the animal’s raised trunk and crowned by a fully three-dimensional putto. White enamel dial with Arabic hours and minutes and openwork gilt hands. Large, round clock with thread suspension, hour and half-hour chimes on a bell. At the top, slightly to the side of the Cupid, is the trigger for the flute mechanism. On the base is a mechanical musical mechanism with a large pinned cylinder and a pipe register, the mechanism is accessible via hinged doors at the front and rear. The front door features an openwork, ornamental lattice panel, whilst the sides and edges of the case are edged with substantial, rocaille-style fittings This impressive clock is based on a design by Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, or may well have come from his workshop, even though the bronze is not hallmarked. The high-quality finish of the bronze suggests this is a possibility. Another example of this model is held, for instance, in the collection of the Residenzmuseum in Munich. Another comparable example, featuring a flute-playing mechanism and an elephant, was sold at Sotheby’s during the auction of the Margraves of Baden in October 1995. The clock which was offered as Lot 121, was mentioned in the Karlsruhe Palace inventory in 1869 and was housed in the Blue Court Room. Clocks featuring exotic animals are among the rarest and most prestigious creations of 18th-century French bronze art. Elephants, rhinoceroses, lions and other unusual animal motifs reflected the contemporary fascination with the foreign and the exotic and were favoured for particularly elaborately designed clock cases. Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain had already developed several such models before 1750 and is regarded as one of the most important bronze casters who shaped this stylistic language. Contemporary sources explicitly confirm that clock cases featuring elephants, lions, bulls and other animal motifs were produced and offered for sale in his workshop. Elephant pendulum clocks, in particular, occupy a prominent position within this group. The elephant serves not only as a decorative motif but also as a structural element of the composition, upon whose back the actual clock case rests. The animal figure is frequently combined with richly ornate rocaille forms, foliage, figurative finials and gilded bronze elements. Only a few examples of these elaborately executed models are known to exist today. Some also feature sophisticated clockworks or musical mechanisms, which further underlines their special status within French Rococo luxury production Condition: The functional clockwork has been refurbished and partially replaced. Please note that this item was manufactured using materials derived from endangered species. In accordance with CITES regulations, this item cannot be exported from the EU Provenance: - Private collection North Germany Literature: - Ottomeyer, Hans and Pröschel, Peter: Vergoldete Bronzen, Vol. 1. Munich 1986. Compare here the clock model featuring an elephant and Cupid, without a case and with a musical mechanism, p. 123, 2.8.3. This model is signed by Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain. - Tardy: La Pendule Francaise, 1 vol. Des origines au Louis XV., 1975. On pages 170 and 171 there are two further clocks of the same model, each of which also has a pedestal with an integrated clockwork Estimated shipping costs for this lot: The lot is unsuitable for parcel shipping. Transport only by shipping company after consultation following the auction. additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to total invoice amount of 25,000 Euros: max. 41.65 Euro over a total invoice amount of 25,000 Euros: 1.8 o/oo USA by individual arrangement after the auction. #Frankreich #Clocks. Please note that this object is made of materials, for whose export into countries outside the EU contract area a permission due to Cites regulations is necessary. We point out that such a permission is usually not given.