Church steeple with bell tower

[Darrmann39]

I got 7 clocks in a Tennessee auction. Luckily I was able to pick them up as was on vacation near the auction. Here's one. I imagine it's French. Bell Tower strikes on half hour and hour. Says 1830 on back. Anyone seen anything like this that can give me some info. No makers mark.

 

[Mike Phelan]

Looks like an early 19th C French roulant.

 

[jmclaugh]

Never seen one quite like that before, very Gothic Revival in style.

 

[rmarkowitz1_cee4a1]

I got 7 clocks in a Tennessee auction. Luckily I was able to pick them up as was on vacation near the auction. Here's one. I imagine it's French. Bell Tower strikes on half hour and hour. Says 1830 on back. Anyone seen anything like this that can give me some info. No makers mark.

View attachment 723179 View attachment 723180 View attachment 723181 View attachment 723182 View attachment 723183 View attachment 723184 View attachment 723185 View attachment 723186 View attachment 723187

Yes, I have seen a # similar clocks, at least in terms of case design.

I have seen them in gilded metal, alabaster, porcelain, you name it.

Most seem to be French and have a similar standard round plate movement like yours. That it appears to strike the bell in the tower is a nice feature.

I suspect most started out having a pair of matching garniture to display with the clock. Those are typically are lost.

For example, see this (sold clock):

Antiques Atlas - Silvered And Ormolu Bronze Cathedral Clock (antiques-atlas.com)

They say "silvered", I wonder if stripped to the bare metal?

I suspect the inspiration may have been one of France's fine Gothic cathedrals, e.g., Notre Dame of Paris or Reims??

Some were made as miniature replicas of a cathedral.

I have also seen English skeleton clocks made to resemble any one of its fine Gothic cathedrals. Some of those are quite impressive with a fusee movement.

In the USA, we have various forms of "steeple" clocks:



Much simpler, cheaper, and accessible.

So a Gothic cathedral inspired clock case design was a popular and well known choice in the 19th century.

RM

 

[Darrmann39]

Yes, I have seen a # similar clocks, at least in terms of case design.

I have seen them in gilded metal, alabaster, porcelain, you name it.

Most seem to be French and have a similar standard round plate movement like yours. That it appears to strike the bell in the tower is a nice feature.

I suspect most started out having a pair of matching garniture to display with the clock. Those are typically are lost.

For example, see this (sold clock):

Antiques Atlas - Silvered And Ormolu Bronze Cathedral Clock (antiques-atlas.com)

They say "silvered", I wonder if stripped to the bare metal?

I suspect the inspiration may have been one of France's fine Gothic cathedrals, e.g., Notre Dame of Paris or Reims??

Some were made as miniature replicas of a cathedral.

I have also seen English skeleton clocks made to resemble any one of its fine Gothic cathedrals. Some of those are quite impressive with a fusee movement.

In the USA, we have various forms of "steeple" clocks:

View attachment 723266 View attachment 723267

Much simpler, cheaper, and accessible.

So a Gothic cathedral inspired clock case design was a popular and well known choice in the 19th century.

RM

Thanks. Thanks for that link. I will go with it is silvered. I'll add pics of bottom which isn't.

 

[Darrmann39]

Yes, I have seen a # similar clocks, at least in terms of case design.

I have seen them in gilded metal, alabaster, porcelain, you name it.

Most seem to be French and have a similar standard round plate movement like yours. That it appears to strike the bell in the tower is a nice feature.

I suspect most started out having a pair of matching garniture to display with the clock. Those are typically are lost.

For example, see this (sold clock):

Antiques Atlas - Silvered And Ormolu Bronze Cathedral Clock (antiques-atlas.com)

They say "silvered", I wonder if stripped to the bare metal?

I suspect the inspiration may have been one of France's fine Gothic cathedrals, e.g., Notre Dame of Paris or Reims??

Some were made as miniature replicas of a cathedral.

I have also seen English skeleton clocks made to resemble any one of its fine Gothic cathedrals. Some of those are quite impressive with a fusee movement.

In the USA, we have various forms of "steeple" clocks:

View attachment 723266 View attachment 723267

Much simpler, cheaper, and accessible.

So a Gothic cathedral inspired clock case design was a popular and well known choice in the 19th century.

RM

Definitely silvered as it's totally made of brass not metal

 

[Mike Phelan]

Brass IS metal!

 

[Darrmann39]

Brass IS metal!

Ok I should have said steel as that was what I was commenting on.

 

[WIngraham]

Nice looking clock.

Are you sure that it is not some kind of metallic paint? You can see the bottom of the clock above the base is colored, from when the pieces were separated, and would not have been originally. The metal doesn't (IMO) appear to be finished for proper silvering.

I would think it is bronze, originally two toned. Gilt and patinated. Most that I see are this way. I think the silver color is a misguided past restoration.

Just my two cents, thanks for your interesting posts.

Will

 

[Darrmann39]

Nice looking clock.

Are you sure that it is not some kind of metallic paint? You can see the bottom of the clock above the base is colored, from when the pieces were separated, and would not have been originally. The metal doesn't (IMO) appear to be finished for proper silvering.

I would think it is bronze, originally two toned. Gilt and patinated. Most that I see are this way. I think the silver color is a misguided past restoration.

Just my two cents, thanks for your interesting posts.

Will

That's a seperate plate piece. Not one piece has over spray or paint on inside. Which would be almost impossible to pull off of it had been painted.. even the piece your looking at from the bottom is the outside of that part.
I'm pretty positive it's never been painted. Here's the one on link Rm provided
It's just like it

 

[WIngraham]

I still believe it is not original, including the clock at that retail space. The finish looks very homemade. There are dings that should have gone through the finish but are actually covered by it. A clock of this time would not have been finished in a manner underneath, that is out of sight and with a possibly precious metal no less. Especially not so fully, IMO. Very strange. I could be wrong but see no harm in continuing the discussion.

When I post clocks, I don't always expect to hear what I want, but it is positive regardless because of the intent behind it. Which is what I hope you draw from my comments. Which are still only my two cents.

Here is a very brief history of Cathedral clocks and some examples in Pierre Kjellberg's Encyclopédie de La Pendule Française. It is of course not all encompassing but shows you other examples. They are all gilt bronze or a combination of gilt and patinated bronze, which was very popular at the time these were produced.

Will

 

[rmarkowitz1_cee4a1]

I still believe it is not original, including the clock at that retail space. The finish looks very homemade. There are dings that should have gone through the finish but are actually covered by it. A clock of this time would not have been finished in a manner underneath, that is out of sight and with a possibly precious metal no less. Especially not so fully, IMO. Very strange. I could be wrong but see no harm in continuing the discussion.

When I post clocks, I don't always expect to hear what I want, but it is positive regardless because of the intent behind it. Which is what I hope you draw from my comments. Which are still only my two cents.

Here is a very brief history of Cathedral clocks and some examples in Pierre Kjellberg's Encyclopédie de La Pendule Française. It is of course not all encompassing but shows you other examples. They are all gilt bronze or a combination of gilt and patinated bronze, which was very popular at the time these were produced.

Will

View attachment 723700

Nice reference.

Does look overcoated/painted.

I think you can see the over runs in the pix of the underside of the base?

RM

 

[WIngraham]

It does look like runs on the underside. Also, this area shows overpainting? Hard to tell with the pics.



The quality of the castings in this clock are great. I am sure it was a costly one when it was made.

Will

 

[Darrmann39]

I still believe it is not original, including the clock at that retail space. The finish looks very homemade. There are dings that should have gone through the finish but are actually covered by it. A clock of this time would not have been finished in a manner underneath, that is out of sight and with a possibly precious metal no less. Especially not so fully, IMO. Very strange. I could be wrong but see no harm in continuing the discussion.

When I post clocks, I don't always expect to hear what I want, but it is positive regardless because of the intent behind it. Which is what I hope you draw from my comments. Which are still only my two cents.

Here is a very brief history of Cathedral clocks and some examples in Pierre Kjellberg's Encyclopédie de La Pendule Française. It is of course not all encompassing but shows you other examples. They are all gilt bronze or a combination of gilt and patinated bronze, which was very popular at the time these were produced.

Will

View attachment 723700

Thanks for the pic

 

[Darrmann39]

I still believe it is not original, including the clock at that retail space. The finish looks very homemade. There are dings that should have gone through the finish but are actually covered by it. A clock of this time would not have been finished in a manner underneath, that is out of sight and with a possibly precious metal no less. Especially not so fully, IMO. Very strange. I could be wrong but see no harm in continuing the discussion.

When I post clocks, I don't always expect to hear what I want, but it is positive regardless because of the intent behind it. Which is what I hope you draw from my comments. Which are still only my two cents.

Here is a very brief history of Cathedral clocks and some examples in Pierre Kjellberg's Encyclopédie de La Pendule Française. It is of course not all encompassing but shows you other examples. They are all gilt bronze or a combination of gilt and patinated bronze, which was very popular at the time these were produced.

Will

View attachment 723700

The reason those were finished underneath is they overhang and are seen underneath on outside also. Look at the pics of the two flat plates on the bottom. They overhang

 

[Darrmann39]

I finally got to getting this thing done. Had to send out a wheel and arbor to David LaBounty to repivot and repair. Running great. Lots of work and very satisfied. 1835 French Gothic revival. Found a H.R 183? Under the bell tower. Found an awesome engraver and had her do the dial as the original numerals were gone

 

[Darrmann39]

Update on my 1830 Gothic revival clock. All done bell finally hooked up. It's not that complicated as I say in video. It's just damn hard to get the knot tied and tight on the back of clock within an 1/8th to then have a teenie adjustment. Works nice.