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Clock facade of a temple Watchmaker : THIAFFAIT 1810
| Materials: | Bronze mercury gilding, Marble |
|---|---|
| Era: | Empire 1804-1815 |
| Period: | XIXe siècle |
| Provenance: | French |
- Restored to original condition with original appearance.
- Full overhaul of watch movement, perfect working order.
- Perfect authenticity, without modification.
- Original gilding.
- Winding key & pendulum
- Operating instructions, how to start your clock.
- Certificate of authenticity, invoice.
- Ringtone on ancient bell, hour and a half-hour
Height: 38 cm
Width: 24 cm
Depth: 9 cm
Description
This portico clock, reminiscent of the façade of an ancient Empire-era temple, is distinguished by the nobility of its materials and the exceptional finesse of its carving. Crafted from pristine white marble and adorned with remarkably high-quality mercury-gilt bronze mounts, it brilliantly embodies the Neoclassical style inspired by Antiquity.
Resting on a rectangular marble base, the plinth, delicately highlighted by a beaded frieze, is embellished on the front with two finely chased appliqués decorated with points and gadroons, framing a radiant central floral motif, a symbol of harmony and perfection. The toupie feet ensure the piece's stability while adding a precious and refined touch. From this base rise two perfectly proportioned cylindrical columns of white marble, topped with capitals and bases of finely guillochéd gilt bronze. These columns evoke classical architecture and lend the clock the appearance of a veritable temple portico, emphasizing the verticality and solemnity of the composition.
Between these supports sits the circular dial, encircled by a gilt-bronze bezel richly engraved with concentric friezes. The pristine white enamel dial is adorned with black Roman numerals and finely openworked hands. It is signed "Thiaffait à Lyon," a clockmaker listed as early as 1810 in Tardy's dictionary of French clockmakers, a guarantee of authenticity and horological quality. Below the dial, a delicate openwork drapery in gilt-bronze, executed with exquisite finesse, evokes antique tapestries and accentuates the theatrical character of the piece. Suspended at its center, the finely chiseled, lenticular pendulum in gilt bronze, depicting an antique vase of flowers—a symbol of abundance and renewal—animates the composition with grace and lightness, while offering a highly refined visual focal point.
The upper section is crowned by a marble entablature surmounted by a richly ornamented triangular pediment. A winged female head, likely an allegory of Victory or Fame, sits enthroned at the center, framed by cornucopias. These remarkably precise ornaments testify to the skill of the bronze workers of the period and lend the whole a powerful symbolic dimension, embodying triumph, beauty, and eternity. The ensemble thus forms a veritable miniature monumental façade, where each architectural and decorative element interacts harmoniously. This portico clock brilliantly illustrates the excellence of the decorative arts under the Empire, combining classical rigor, ornamental richness, and technical virtuosity. A collector's item that is both decorative and historical.
The original mechanism is intact and unaltered, with a wire suspension. The hour and half-hour strikes are played on an antique bell with a clear and authentic sound.
Questions
Easily pay for your purchases using our highly protected bank card system with SSL certificate and 256 bit encryption, ensuring confidentiality when any information is transferred. On a web browser, the OVH SSL certificate activates the HTTPS protocol and displays a padlock in the navigation bar. This shows that any transaction is encrypted and confidential, and that your website address has been authenticated.
Our items mainly stem from the inheritance of objects, preciously looked after over numerous generations. There is a stringent selection process for each object ensuring perfect authenticity and the optimal amount of gilding
We do not use the term “Restoration”, which implies a significant transformation or major repair that modifies an object’s authenticity or original appearance. Each object is completely dismantled, then thoroughly cleaned part by part; our cleaning technique restores shine without adversely affecting the gold. We then put the clock back together, returning all the various parts to their origin location, as well as all the nuts and screws. Subsequently, the item is inspected to ensure it is perfectly even, symmetrical, and smooth, etc.
The clock’s movement undergoes a complete overhaul; it is totally dismantled, cleaned and each individual part is polished. The duration of this procedure affects the shine: we prefer to obtain a brilliant shine, in keeping with the gilding of the object. To increase the strength and quality of the gears, we apply a very important procedure, known as bouchonnage, to correct for wear accumulated over years of operation, consisting in the placing cork of stoppers in any pivot holes that have become deformed by wear. After the clock has been completely reassembled, it is tested over a long period of time to ensure that the movement, as well as the hour and half-hour strikes, are operating correctly.
- Akzeptierte Kreditkarten: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, Discover und Diners Club.
- Bank transfer: You can also send us a copy of the bank transfer order to speed up the processing of your order.
Upon dispatch of your order, you will be sent a parcel tracking number by email.
Delivery anywhere in the world.
France: - Clocks: 3 days preparation work + 2 days for delivery - Total: 5 business days - Decorative objects: 1 days preparation work + 2 days for delivery - Total: 3 business days
Europe - Clocks: 3 days preparation work + 3 days for delivery - Total: 6 business days - Decorative objects: 1 day preparation work + 3 days for delivery - Total: 6 business days
Other countries - Clocks: 3 days preparation work + 3-8 days for delivery - Decorative objects: 1 days preparation work + 3-8 days for delivery
Easily pay for your purchases using our highly protected bank card system with SSL certificate and 256 bit encryption, ensuring confidentiality when any information is transferred. On a web browser, the OVH SSL certificate activates the HTTPS protocol and displays a padlock in the navigation bar. This shows that any transaction is encrypted and confidential, and that your website address has been authenticated.
You will receive—by email and a paper version—an explanatory document containing all the necessary instructions and recommendations for operating your clock. We also provide assistance over the phone to guide you through the start-up procedure. Of course, we will continue to be available—by both telephone and email—to answer any questions you may have. For calls in German or English, please make an appointment first via email, providing us with your telephone number, and the date and time you wish to contact us. Contact.
- Click on the button “add to basket” to add an object. - Once you have finished your order, click on “view contents of basket” located at the bottom of the screen or on small the “shopping trolley” icon at the top right. - click “Complete my order” or “order” - Fill in the invoicing address details, you also have the possibility to send the parcel to a different address. - Select the payment method - To confirm your order, click “order now”
By email, you will be sent: - confirmation of your order & payment - Parcel tracking information
Every purchase comes with a certificate of authenticity and an invoice
High quality certificate of authenticity printed on photo paper with text and photos providing all the information concerning your object. Detailed invoice indicating the price paid for the object.
