 |
RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
 |
|
|
RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
|
|
A rare Second Empire gilt brass and painted porcelain carriage clock of eight day duration possibly by Henri Jacot, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals and blued steel Breguet hands for the hours and minutes and a blued steel pointer for the alarm with three subsidiary calendar dials below the main dial, the left one for the days of the week, the central for the 31 days of the month and the right hand one for the months of the year, each with a blued steel pointer. The movement with a jewelled platform escapement, with alarm and push repeat for the hours, striking on the hours and half hours on a bell. The one-piece case with glazed sides surmounted by a scrolled carrying handle with a beautifully painted dial plate depicting a cockerel to the upper left and geese to the upper right centred by the infant Christ above Father Time, seated lower left, holding an hourglass and his scythe and the Virgin Mary, seated to the lower right, holding a cross and vessel, centred below the dial with the inscription in old Flemish ‘Tot Bidden U Bevlijt/ Weest Naerstelijck en/ Waeckende:/ Want Gij Weet Uer Noch/ Tud/ Dat U Het Ouaetis/ Naeckende’, which translates as “Be diligent in prayer, be industrious and vigilant, for you know neither the hour nor the time, that evil may befall youâ€. The back of the case inscribed beneath a winged hourglass flanked by two pairs of Father Time’s scythes with ‘The Proverbs of Confucius’ by Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805), which translate as: ‘Threefold is the march of time, While the future slow advances, Like a dart the present glances, Silent stands the past sublime. No impatience e’er can speed him. On his course if he delay; No alarm, no doubts impede him. If he keep his onward way; No regrets, no magic numbers Wake the tranced one from his slumbers. Wouldst thou wisely and with pleasure, Pass the days of life’s short measure, From the slow one counsel take, But a tool of him ne’er make; Ne’er as friend the swift one know, Nor the constant one as foe!’ Paris, date circa 1860 Height 22 cm, width 13 cm, depth 10 cm. This rare clock was made in France during the mid nineteenth century; based on its quality, construction and date one can conclude that it was possibly the work of Henri Jacot (d. 1868). Known for his fine quality carriage clocks, Jacot was credited as making all the parts of the clock himself; Henri Jacot was succeeded by his nephew of the same name who was also a clockmaker of distinction. The firm won a number of medals at the international exhibitions of 1855, 1862, 1878, 1889 but unjustly only received an honourable mention in 1867. The firm, which ceased trading in 1920, was based in Paris but may also have had a factory at Saint-Nicolas-d’Aliermont. A carriage clock by Henri Jacot with painted porcelain panels by L. Simonnet and three similarly arranged subsidiary dials as well as an additional seconds dial below 12 o’clock is illustrated in Derek Roberts, “Carriage and other Travelling Clocksâ€, 1993, p. 166, pl. 10-4. Similar carriage clocks by Jacot can also be seen on pp. 102, pl. 6-36 and 148, pl. 9-18. Although the construction of the clock is typical of quality pieces from the mid nineteenth century, the decorative enamel painted front with accompanying words and related text from ‘The Proverbs of Confucius’ on the reverse is very unusual, suggesting that it was made as a special order and almost certainly for a Flemish client. Since the time of the Romans the goose has been regarded as the symbol of providence and vigilance. Likewise the cock, because of its crowing early in the morning, was used as an emblem of vigilance and watchfulness and also symbolised time itself. Father Time, represented by the elderly bearded man, who as here is usually portrayed naked except for his loincloth and has an hourglass and scythe, appears on a large number of clocks and like the cockerel reminds us of the passing of time and the need for watchfulness. Since he reveals innocence (conveying the idea that right must prevail in the end) and adds to man’s burdens he is sometimes accompanied by Innocence and Faith. The latter attributes, which are generally represented by female figures appear here as the Virgin and Child. The Virgin Mary, who looks heavenward holds a cross reinforcing the message that suffering may be in store, even for the most virtuous. The Christ Child may also be taken as a virtuous figure who watches over and prays for us, as advised in the text below. |