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Antique French Clocks
Bracket Clock Made From 1710 To 1760, Had A Case Of Sinuous Outline.
Cartel Wall Clocks Developed At The End Of The Regence.
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In France the ebenistes (cabinet makers) dictated the appearance of clocks for much of the 18th century.
The Louis XIV style (until 1715) was heavy, with rich ormolu (gilt bronze) decoration
on a tortoiseshell ground as ormoula clock. The Regence style (1715-23)
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was less imposing and clock cases had a more flowing outline, with sides indented before curving out again at the base.
The Louis XV style (1723-74) was marked by fantasy but by the time of Louis XVI (1774-92) a
Neo-Classical reaction had set in. This reached full expression during the Empire period (1804-15)
and after 1815 continued into the reigns of Louis XVIII (1815-24) and Charles X (1824-30).
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Louis XIV Clock
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Regence Clock
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Louis XV Clock
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Louis XVI Mantel Clock
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Sèvres French Porcelin Clock
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Types Of Clock
Pendules religieuses These clocks, a development of Hague clocks, had a rectangular movement
suspended on the back of a velvet covered clock dial with an applied brass chapter ring as brass clock.
Unlike their
Dutch models, pendules religieuses commonly had a clock case of brass or pewterinlaid tortoiseshell
with ormolu mounts.
Bracket clocks and ormolu clocks are made from 1710 to 1760, had a French clock case of sinuous outline,
rococo angle mounts forming open work foliage at the hips, shoulders and top.
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Pendules Clock
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Hague Clock
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Bracket Clock
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Rococo Angle Clock
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Rococo Clock
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Cartel clocks This French wall clock, which developed at the end of the Regence, often combined
chinoiserie figures with flowing leaf like scrolls and rocaille (shell and rock motifs) executed in
ormolu or Porcelin.
Longcase clocks These are less common than other French clocks such as French ormolu clock.
Louis XIV and Regence Clock types took the
form of a pendule religieuse or transitional bracket clock standing on a separate pedestal. Neo Classical
longcase clocks were rectilinear, their ormolu ornament was architectural and their clock cases commonly
had a long, glazed door revealing a gridiron pendulum (made of alternate steel and brass rods
as brass clock) with a large
bob (weight) at the base of pendulum clock. Many of these precision clocks were capable of
running for a month or more.
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Cartel Wall Clock
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Longcase Clock
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Porcelin Mantel Clock
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Green Shell Mantel Clock
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Carriage Clock
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Mantel clocks These were first developed under Louis XV and are by far the most common type of
French antique clock. Until c. 1780 they were designed to be placed on pieces of furniture rather
than mantels. Most have a circular enamel clock dial and the clock movement housed in a drum canister.
The drum is
either the central feature or incidental to a composition focusing on a modelled figure or figures.
In some popular Louis XV models the clock is borne on the back of an animal and surmounted by a
chinoiserie figure under a parasol.
Carriage clocks The first true carriage clock was made by A-L. Breguet in 1796. Previous travelling
clocks had been in the form of large watches or of rectangular cased clocks with a watch escapement
(the clockwork part controlling the force of the spring). Breguet placed the escapement on a platform
above the plates of the clock movement and provided a sturdy case with glazed panels. Other makers simplified
the clock and made it suitable for mass production, which lasted from 1830 until 1915. Clock cases and
clock movements of French carriage clocks are made in set grades of quality and any one grade of clock movement can be
housed in various types of case.
The most sought after types have a grande sonnerie movement (striking both hour and quarter hour at
each quarter hour), with alarm and calendar, and are in an engraved, enamelled or enamel or
Porcelin panelled case such as alarm brass clock.
The better makers include Jacot, Margaine, Drocourt, Le Roy, Lamaille and Japy.
Carriage Clocks - the True Origins of the World's Most Beautiful Clocks :
Designed for extreme travel or other rigorous experiences during the nineteenth century,
carriage clocks tended to be clocks that were rectangular in size and quite moderate in
size. During this era, travel by horse drawn carriage was quite normal if you were
wealthy enough for it, and the clocks that were taken along were known as carriage
clocks. Conventional clocks of the day really could not handle the jostling and tumbling
of that kind of travel, so carriage clocks appeared as the answer to this problem. They
were made with a great deal of sturdiness in mind.
Carriage clocks were deemed highly fashionable especially during the late stages of the
1860s when they ultimately reached their peak, in such that they were sometimes given
as gifts during special occasions such as weddings, birthdays and even royal or political
celebrations.
A carriage clock, even though it was largely considered simply as a travel clock during
the 18th century, is actually much larger than traditional travel timepieces. They're built
that way to house the spring-driven mechanisms within the clock.
How can you identify a carriage clock? What are the traits that you should look for? First,
take a look the case. It will typically be made of a shiny metal like brass or silver The
clock face is typically made of clear glass so that you can see the time and the hands are
usually black against plain or painted backgrounds of porcelain. In some cases, both the
hands and the faces are going to be very decorated with designed paintings and crafted
scenes. These designs are typically more elaborate when it comes to more antique clocks.
Also keep an eye out for the convenient handle, which made these clocks a lot easier to
transport and to carry in general.
One of the charming factors of the carriage clock is that they will mark every hour or half
hour with their chimes. Some will simply toll, while others can produce a full range of
chords and notes. A lot of these clocks also might come with a large bell that rings every
hour on the hour.
When you are looking at the classic carriage clocks, look for clean and clear markings
that are visible through the ornate features. You may find that your clock is decorated
with attributes like foliage, porcelain, gemstones and inlaid enamel
One of the reasons why so many people love carriage clocks is due to their regal and
elaborate look. You can use these clocks to decorate your home, but remember that they
are also quite useful as good time pieces. If you are someone who loves decorating with
antiques, see how this might work for you.
These days, you'll find that carriage clocks that have been manufactured in the modern
era tend to have quartz movements rather than the traditional clockworks. However,
make sure that you take a look and know what you are buying; you never know when you
are going to find a lovingly detailed reproduction.
Even with the modern era's penchant for digital need, a lot of shops still sell carriage
clocks. Some companies even offer online purchasing of their products so you can order
them without the hassles of actually shopping for them in physical stores. A lot of these
companies have been making them for more than ten decades and you can be sure that
they offer designs and finishes that celebrate the classical patterns so you can enjoy them
with a sense of historical awe.
Depending on how you look at it, buying a carriage clock can be a sentimental way of
looking into the past so you'll know what the future holds.
References: “The Illustrated History Of Antiques”, General Editor by Huon Mallalieu.
London: Quantum Books Ltd. 1999.
Carriage Clocks - the True Origins of the World's Most Beautiful Clocks, Written By Marty Turock
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