Empire Vase Clock With Venus In Her Chariot

This refined and richly decorated French Empire vase clock, with Venus in her chariot, is a famous model by Claude Galle. In their book, Ottomeyer and Pröschel reference that a clock with the title “Venus Coquille” appears in Galle’s workshop inventory in 1815, after the death of Claude Galle.

The clock dates from the early Empire period and it is in the form of a gilt bronze vase. This vase clock is surmounted by a figure of Venus sitting on a sea conch pulled by doves. On the side of the vase there are decorations of river masks, while a pair of dolphins support the vase. Finally, the base has a central ornamentation of Neptune’s head, flanked by sea horses.

On the white enamelled dial with gilt bronze hands, appears the signature Grandvoinnet, Quay de la Mégisserie No 44 à Paris. Grandvoinnet was active as a clock maker on this address from 1806-1820. The original clockwork has a silk suspended pendulum.


Details
This museum quality Empire vase clock, with Venus on a sea shell, has been professionally cleaned and is in a perfect condition with beautiful gilding. The movement has a pendulum with silk suspension and anchor escapement. It strikes the hours and half hours on a bell, regulated by a count wheel. It comes complete with pendulum, bell and key.


France ca. 1810


Dimensions: 35 cm high, 31 cm wide and 12 cm deep.


Literature
Vergoldete Bronzen – die Bronzearbeiten des Spätbarock und Klassizismus, Hans Ottomeyer/Peter Pröschel, p.371 fig. 5.13.17
Encyclopédie de la pendule française, Pierre Kjellberg, p.377 #B
French Bronze Clocks, Elke Niehüser, p.242 #939
Dictionnaire des horlogers français, Tardy, p.270