A Napoleon III Silvered and Gilt-Bronze and Bleu Turquin Marble Three-Piece Clock Garniture

Description

A Napoleon III Silvered and Gilt-Bronze and Bleu Turquin Marble Three-Piece Clock Garniture By Société des Marbres Onyx d’Algérie.

The figure cast from a model by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887), the conical pendulum escapement by Eugène Farcot, Paris.

Comprising a mantle clock and a pair of six-light candelabra. The clock surmounted by a silver and gilt-bronze figure of a neoclassical diaphanous female figure sculpted by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse. The figure, commonly identified as Urania, the Greek goddess of astronomy, suspends a conical pendulum with star-studded orb weight which rotates in a circular manner around a point at her feet. This is in addition to the traditional movement which operates the clock dial. The dial is housed in a bleu turquin marble case flanked by neo renaissance standing roaring lions supported by gilt-bronze volutes joined by a central cartouche with hourglass emblem. The clock workings visible through the open dial. The dial is of gilt-bronze with blued steel hands and Roman numeral markers. The twin barrel movement has a rack striking to bell.

The neo renaissance candelabra are designed en suite with scrolled branches issuing six candle nozzles, all surrounding a central bleu turquin marble orb. The baluster bodies flanked by silvered bronze gryphon heads and strapwork handles.

The dial signed ‘Société des Marbres Onyx d’Algérie / 24 Bd des Italiens / Paris’

France, Circa 1870.

Dimensions:
The clock: Height: 121 cm / Width 48 cm / Depth: 30 cm
The candelabra:  Height 83 cm / Width 39 cm / Depth 39 cm

The beauty and sophistication of Carrier-Belluse’s figure is matched by the impressive technical achievement of the conical pendulum escapement by Eugène Farcot. The ‘mystery movement’ which turns the orb and pendulum held by the figure, also rotates the mechanism controlling the motion of the inner wheels.  A pioneering engineer in many fields, Farcot was the most renowned nineteenth century maker of conical pendulum and ‘ingenious mystery’ clocks, taking out successive patents throughout his long career. Together with Societe Des Marbres Onyx d’Algerie, Farcot exhibited examples of large figural conical pendulum clocks at the Paris Exposition of 1867, at the 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition and at the 1878 Paris Exposition.

The clock base was made by the Société des Marbres Onyx d’Algerie and Eug. Cornu of Paris, who mined and fashioned luxurious Algerian marble and were celebrated for the quality of their production and design. Here the ‘Société des Marbres’ uses bleu turquin, or Dove grey marble as it is known in English speaking countries. Bleu turquin was mined since Roman times from the Apuan Alps quarries, such as Carrara, where it is called Bardiglio Carrara.

This clock movement is of eight-day duration, with two trains, one for the timekeeping and the second for striking.  The clock strikes on the hour and the half hour on a bell. The skeletonised movement has a drive running up through the marble case where it has a rotating arm. This arm connects to the bottom of the pendulum, which rotates in a circular motion, governing the turning of the gilt-bronze arm and therefore the speed and synchronisation of the clock.  The pendulum is suspended using the Cardan system in order to allow for free circular motion. The dial is of gilt-bronze with blued steel hands and Roman numeral markers.

Established at rue de Trois Bornes from 1858 – 1890, Farcot took out patents for the conical pendulum in 1865 and 1872.   It is recorded that he exhibited at Paris in 1861, London 1862, Paris again in 1867, Philadelphia in 1876 and Paris for the last time in 1878. The distinctive feature of the conical pendulum is that it is in constant motion as opposed to the conventional pendulum which is continuously stopping and starting.

The first record of a clock with a conical (rotating) pendulum is a turret clock by Jost Bodeker in 1587.  Its application was later studied by Huygens, who experimented with isochronous conical pendulums, publishing his ‘horologium’ in 1673. Its first practical application however was almost certainly by Passement in Paris who incorporated it in a clock mechanism to allow a telescope to point continuously at a single star.

The Onyx Marble Company of Algeria was founded in 1858 by Alphonse Pallu, specialising in high-end luxury objects and furniture, often combining Algerian onyx and champlevé enamel. The company worked with some of the most important sculptors and designers of the day, including Albert Earnest Carrier-Belleuse, Charles Cordier and Eugene Cornu (who became its chief designer and director).  The company changed names a number of time becoming, G. Viot & Co., E. Horn & Co. and finally H. Journet & Co.  It is recorded in the Registres de Commerce et de l’Industrie in 1878 that the head office was located at 29, rue Popincourt and ‘les Magasins de Vente’ at 24, boulevard des Italiens, Paris.

It exhibited at many of the Universal Exhibitions from 1862-1900 with great success:

L’Exposition Universelle of London, 1862
L’Exposition Universelle of Paris, 1867, where Viot and Cornu received a gold medal for an important pair of vases made from onyx marble, bronze et enamel and signed by both men.
L’Exposition Universelle of London, 1871
L’Exposition Universelle of London,1872
L’Exposition Universelle of Philadelphia, 1876
L’Exposition Universelle of Paris, 1878.

The clock is dominated by the finely cast and silvered, bronze classical figure, wearing a diaphanous draped costume, highlighted in gilt-bronze.  Commonly identified as Urania, the Greek goddess of astronomy she holds in her raised right arm a pendulum terminating in a celestial orb which freely rotates in an elliptical axis.  The figure is cast from a model by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse who was one of the most important and renowned sculptors of the nineteenth century, celebrated in his own time for his mastery of design and technical virtuosity.  Making his debut at the Salon in 1851, Carrier-Belleuse then worked in England until 1854 in the design shop at Minton’s porcelain works in Staffordshire, under Leon Arnoux, where many of his models were produced in ceramic.

Upon his return to Paris in 1855, Carrier-Belleuse rapidly established himself as the premier ‘sculpteur ornamentaliste’ of the Second Empire, embarking upon important projects at the Louvre, the Hôtel de la Païva, the Opera, the Hotel de Ville and the Théâtre-Français. As one of the most prolific and versatile sculptors of the nineteenth century, he made his reputation with the group Salve Regina, which was shown at the Salon of 1861, and later works ‘Bacchante’ (1863) and ‘The Messiah’ (1867) which brought him medals and the Legion of Honour.  In the last years of the Second Empire he executed many public commissions and was highly regarded by Emperor Napoleon III, who referred to him as our Clodion (a comparison often made).  During the Paris Commune of 1871 he took refuge in Brussels but returned to Paris the following year where he continued to work until his death in 1887.  

The full-size clock with figure by Carrier-Belleuse and conical pendulum by Farcot exhibited by the Société des Marbres Onyx d’Algérie at the 1867 Paris Exposition.