A French Empire clock in the finest original ormolu. The subject is that of Hope. She sits upon the clock housing leaning upon a cornucopia with a swan base with her other arm resting upon a beautifully modelled anchor set upon a shell. The flukes of the anchor are decorated with a cupid. To the right of the clock a superbly decorated paddle with dolphins and shells rests against the clock. Set upon richly decorated toupee feet the rectangular base with stiff leaf moulding has applied ormolu mounts of the finest quality with two superb beribboned anchors hanging by garlands of flowers supported by floral stands. The white convex enamel dial signed Deniere and Matelin Fabr. de Bronzes a Paris is surrounded by a superb bezel of forget-me-not flower heads.The half hour 8 day bell striking movement with silk suspended pendulum. Hope in the Greek myths was the spirit remaining in the bottom of Pandora’s box after she had incautiously opened the box and let her other blessings escape. Hope with Faith and Charity is one of the three theological virtues.The anchor derives from St. Paul who said Hope ” is like an anchor for our lives”. She is connected with sea-faring and commerce as ocean voyages were undertaken in a spirit of hope. Thus there is the allusion through the anchor, paddle and shells. Finally the corcucopia and plethora of flowers for she is the Hope of the fruit to come, see Titians 16th century masterpiece “Allegory of the Marquis d’Avalos ( Louvre). Deniere and Matelin were known to have been working at Rue Turenne Paris in 1812. 17 inches high by 11.5 inches wide by 4.25 inches deep ( 42.5 cms by 28.75 cms by 10.6 cms).
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