Posted 3 years ago
Biju
(6 items)
Hi All,
Recently acquired this bronze French wall clock and would like information on it if anyone could identify. The hour markers are porcelain and the movement is French, but obviously newer than the rest of it. The case seems very old to me, but I could be wrong, and that's the part I'm most interested in (the case). It has a repair note written on the inside from 1957 (see photo) which I googled and looks like a high-end antique shop in Manhattan of that time. The clock is 17 inches tall, about 5 inches deep (relief) and weighs over 15 pounds.
TIA
Welcome to CW. I love this item and from the repair note - so did he. He must of known the age or estimate of this clock to have taken the time as he did to note his repair. I think that is super that help in the overall history.
As far as the origin or the age, I at a loss, but you are at the right place to get answers. good luck
Thank you RichmondLori. I agree about the repair note. I love it as well and find it very unique. I'm hopeful someone will be able to figure it out.
Cheers
Hello there- I know this is coming along about 2 years later than you'd have liked, and still won't provide you a whole, complete answer, but I do think I can resolve part of the mystery... at least as far as you'll likely be able to. I've done quite a bit in research and restoration of antique French clocks in particular, and my thought is this: I believe that on the "repair" note, 'rep. might just as easily be abbreviation for "replaced" rather than "repaired", and this would be in reference to the original movement that was in the shell. Unless I miss my guess, you're likely to find (or slight evidence of once existing) a narrow slot just below and behind the "6"; this would have been the slot which the pendulum rod of the original movement came out through, with the 'bob' only being exposed by a couple short inches. Most likely the original movement would have been the very commonly used round "drum" style mechanism. Additional evidence I'm seeing for this thought are the openings on the face under the hands where the winding arbors were originally accessed for both time and strike trains. Wall clocks of this "nature" were made and quite prevalent during the last half of the 19th century, 1850-1899, and near every one was a "one of a kind", at least in that their decoration was all done by hand, and it's pretty rare to ever see two that actually "match". In my opinion, you just happen to get ahold of one of the better quality and better looking designs. Unfortunately, the French were not especially good about marking or signing their horologic creations, and it's very likely that you may never be able to more accurately determine this piece's provenance. One potential that sometimes does present itself, is when by accident you stumble upon image of another clock which happens to also contain a very similar design repetition, or possibly uses a set of enameled numeral cartouches that look to be very similar. Then if the example has a more known background you at least are a little closer to pinning it down a bit closer. It's a handsome piece; enjoy the beauty!
P.S. You can find many examples of this style wall clock by searching them as "Farcot" wall clocks; Farcot was one of the better known and larger manufacturers of this kind of clock in it's day.
Wow! Thank you so much for your lending your expertise and for your detailed and thorough response! Very kind of you.
This really helps my understanding of the origin of this clock.
Happy to have been of help to you, wish I could have offered more, but that's about all that can be found for any of the pieces from that period. I think in the end it means there was a lot of highly skilled artisan talent that deserved acknowledgement yet goes unrealized, except maybe through our own pride in owning something which we derive pleasure from as we admire them every day.