Louis-Auguste Marquis (French, 1811-1885) Exceptional Louis XVI style mantel set, c.1845 in finely chased ormolu, including a clock and a pair of cassolettes with primed sides, formerly covered with lapis-lazuli scagliola. The clock is surmounted by a bouquet of lilies, tulips and roses; the handles have goat heads, and the dial is entwined with laurel leaves. It stands on a leafy pedestal supported by a fluted column base and a plinth at the bottom. The enameled dial is signed "Marquis à Paris" with the hours in Roman numerals and the "Avance Retard" dots at noon. The two-week reserve movement bears the watchmakers' stamps: "Farret A Paris" and "Pons médaille d'or1827". The cassolettes are topped with a pine-cone fretel, their handles with young goats' heads joined by a flowery garland, resting on a gadrooned pedestal in a laurel twist. Bronzier: Louis-Auguste Marquis (1811-1885), associated from 1838 to 1844 with Gilbert-Honoré Chaumont (1790-1868), established at 25 rue Chapon in Paris, then, under the Second Empire, at 66 boulevard de Strasbourg. Watchmaker : Pierre Honoré César Pons (1773-1851), who revived the watchmaking business in Saint-Nicolas d'Aliermont, was active in Paris until 1846, when he sold his company to Delepine. Finishing watchmaker: Farret & Cie, active in Paris, rue Chapon, between 1840 and 1870. Pendulum: Height 82 Width 41 Depth 24 cm. Cassolettes : Height 61 Width 33 Depth 22 cm. (excellent overall condition; small accident to the dial, missing pistils from a lily, blue finish on the ovals partly faded). Louis-Auguste Marquis, ca. 1845. A Louis XVI style ormolu mantel clock and pair of cassolettes. Marquis, le bronzier des Princes In 1838, bronze-maker Louis-Auguste Marquis (1811-1885) joined forces with Gilbert-Honoré Chaumont (1790-1868), an artisan in the field of chandeliers. The partnership was a great success. At the Exposition des Produits de l'Industrie, they were awarded a bronze medal for the creation of a set of Renaissance-style candelabras, a clock and a large chandelier with branches supported by children and chimeras. The company subsequently moved to no. 25 rue Chapon in Paris, before relocating under Napoleon III to 66 boulevard de Strasbourg. The company became the main supplier to the royal palaces, and was awarded the title of "Fabricant du Mobilier de la Couronne" for lighting fixtures. Chaumont, now known as "Chaumont Marquis", begins to diversify its production with the creation of furniture bronzes in a variety of styles. It supplied the Giroux and Beurdeley houses, as well as the royal family. The fireplace for the Salon des Princes was delivered to the Grand Trianon in 1838. On his own from 1844 onwards, Marquis supplied the Palais Royal in 1855 with an impressive pair of gilded bronze candelabras, "Enfants au silence", whose lilies and garlands of flowers are reminiscent of the work done on our fittings. His work includes references to the great bronziers of the previous century, such as the Osmond dynasty, Thomire and Pierre Gouthière. For example, the ram heads on this set are inspired by those on a pair of aiguières made by Pierre Gouthière around 1767 to 1770 (private collection) or on a serpentine cassolette made around 1775, now in the Musée du Louvre (OA 5179). However, our garniture also uses modern industrial materials, such as sheet metal and scagliola, to imitate hard stones, which are particularly rare and expensive.