Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Mar 19, 2016

LOT 85

GIRL ON A SWING French. Made circa 1880. Fine and unusual, ormolu and porcelain, 8-day going, hour and half- hour striking mantel clock with forwards and backwards swinging pendulum.

HKD 40,000 - 80,000

USD 5,000 - 10,000 / CHF 5,000 - 10,000

Sold: HKD 55,000

Gilded and cast with leaves and swags, flaming urn finials, surmounted by a porcelain-set urn, swags and tassels below the dial, supported by two terms and flanked by porcelain medallions, central leaf and scroll mount set with an oval porcelain plaque. Annular white enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions, the center exposing the front plate of the movement. Blued steel Breguet hands. Circular gilt-brass plates, going barrels for both trains, special escapement with two parallel escape wheels mounted on a common arbour at a right angle to provide the forward and backward motion of the pendulum, spring suspension mounted at a right angle on the back plate, the pendulum bob cast in ormolu with a lady on a hammock, outside countwheel striking on a bell.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3

Good
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

DIM. 50 x 36 x 15 cm. This clock is an unusually fine example of the "swinging cherub" type. Instead of swinging from left to right in the usual manner, the pendulum swings in a forwards and backwards motion. This is facilitated by a special escapement composed of two escape wheels mounted in parallel on the same arbour and at right angles to the backplate.