A FRENCH LOUIS XVI WHITE MARBLE AND ORMOLU MANTEL CLOCK

A FRENCH LOUIS XVI WHITE MARBLE AND ORMOLU MANTEL CLOCK

BY FOLIN L'AINE A PARIS, LATE 18TH CENTURY

the brass eight day drum movement with an outside countwheel striking on a bell on the hour and half hour, with gilt hour and minute hands and a blued steel calendar hand on a four and three-quarter inch enamelled dial with black Arabic hour numerals and blue Arabic outer numerals for the calendar, in a white marble case surmounted by a cherub passing a basket of flowers to a young lady playing a lyre, with gilt swags beneath the dial and a relief panel to the base with putti playing with a garland, flanked by engine turned panels to the bow ends, on four engine turned feet, with a pendulum and two keys

42.5cm high, 34cm wide, 13.5cm deep

Provenance

Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), Bedroom no.1, Halton House, Buckinghamshire

Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942)

Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009)

The Trustees of Exbury House

Literature

Rothschild Archive, London, Manuscript: 000/174/C/3, Christie, Manson & Woods Probate Valuation of 'The Estate of Alfred C. de Rothschild, Esq. C.V.O. Deceased, Halton House Tring'. 1918. Listed as 'A Louis XVI clock in white marble case, sculptured with a nymph on plinth, mounted with ormolu frieze chased with Amorini £30.0.0.'

Catalogue Note

Nicolas-Alexandre Folin was born c.1750 and was accepted into the guild as master in 1789. He used the signature 'Folin l'aine 'the elder' to distinguish himself from his brother who was also a clockmaker. He was one of the top Parisian makers and specialised in high quality clocks. A superb skeleton clock is in the Getty Museum.