Antique-Japy Freres Bronze Dore,Signed Sculpture Clock! UNBELIVABLE!!,foundry (G. Servant),medaille d Or Clock Start Price USD 4,199.99 Current Price USD 4,199.99 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Sunday, September 28, 2008 End Time Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Location Miami, Florida See more about 'Antique-Japy Freres Bronze Dore,Signed Sculpture Clock!' Description Antique-Japy Freres Bronze Dore,Signed Sculpture Clock! STUNNING!!!!! ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!! RARE!!! C.1870 french mantle clock with unbelivable!! signed bronze sculpture and also signed on the movement.We have this clock appraised by one of USA most knowledgeble authority on clock.*Dr.David A. Sperling*, Certifications David has done private appraisals since his retirement in 1997. He has written appraisals for museums, insurance companies, antique dealers, conservators and private individuals. ***Please find below his superb!!! comments & description of this very important clock.**** BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The great French styles in clocks follow the reign of their kings.  The styles do not exactly fit the dates of their reigns.  The style period of Louis XVI ran from 1774-1793. Characteristic of this style is a return to the straight lines and symmetry of Louis lV.  The decorations were ormolu mounts in a vast array of forms with elegant workmanship.  Ormolu is a metal made to resemble gold by the addition of copper and zinc to brass.  The wonderful golden color was partially obtained by the use of acids and gold lacquer.  This period is considered by many to be the finest period of French clockmaking.  The clocks made during this period tend to be mantel clocks with smaller dials than had previously been seen.  The clock is usually mounted on a white marble base with applied ormolu ornamentation.  The clocks are usually housed in brass or bronze cases. Remember that the French clock during the Louis XVl period was considered a piece of furniture with a functional mechanism attached. The importance of the piece lies not in the mechanism, but in the fine quality of the statue(s) and ornamentation around the small dial, and just how the piece blended with the furnishings in the room. Dials tended to be small in comparison to the overall size of the case. The ornamentation tended to reflect a renewed interest in neo-classical forms-the urn, the vase, acanthus leaves, the column and most definately the goddess.--------------------------------------------Figures in bronze are much sought after by collectors today. It is a metal that is particularly suitable for producing sharply cast images, which can be finished to a high degree of perfection by chasing, chiselling or engraving. Brass was almost as good, but does not produce quite as fine a finished product. By the mid 19th century, specifically at the Paris Exposition of 1851, the French decorative art community was deploring the quality of the mass produced casting of figures. However, they still remain desirable pieces. They did not, of course, match the quality of the 18th century figures, but some were very finely executed.----------------------------------During the Victorian Period (1860-1890)when your clock was made, the use of "black marble" was highly fashionable in clock cases, and as in your clock it was combined with wonderful dore bronze (ormolu) mounts and ornamentation. ((What is called black marble on French clocks is actually taken from quarries in Belgium and is a form of Belgian slate that came in many differnt colors.)) In addition, the return to the use of neo-classical figures produces a situation wherein the value of the clock lies 90% in the excellent quality of the bronze figure along with the quality of the case, which makes up its overall aesthetic appeal. The clock itself becomes of secondary importance, although the outstanding dial of your clock plays a most important part in the beauty of your clock. The movement itself is a small round typically French 19th century movement. These French round brass movements are almost interchangeable with each other. They were mass porduced by many Parisian clock companies, and generall all were about the same size. ***Now getting to specifics about your clock***-Your clock is a French eight day time and strike black marble and bronze figural clock dating from 1870-1880. It appears to be in superb condition with no parts missing that I can see. The impressive and finely carved bronze statuette is a Greek woman pinning her toga at her right shoulder. The detail of her toga and her features are quite excellent. This stuatuette is by the same bronzier, and of the same configuration as one sold at auction recently.  The dial is a circular brass dial with black Roman numerals and typical machine cut French "fleur-de-lis" Victorian era hands (original to the clock). The break arch of the dial (the center) is highly decorated with blue and white enamel in a rococo design. The name on the dial is "Miller & Son". This is most likely the retailer of the clock, and likely from either England or the USA, since many of these French clocks were made for export. Above the numeral Xll is a small hole used to adjust the speed of the pendulum and therefore of the clock. This adjustm"Brocot". The name Brocot is synonymous with a type of escapement used in French clocks during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Although your clock does not have a Brocot escapement it does have another Brocot invention in the type of adjustment that you can make to the pendulum through that small hole at the top of the dial. (( Achille Brocot (1817-1878) developed this type of regulating pendulum that often was used with the aforementioned escapement. Atop the pendulum was a regulating nut for adjustment of the speed of the clock, which could be accessed with the proper clock key through the dial.))----------------------------------The GS designation (with his trademark in between the letters) found on the rear clock plate stands for G. Servant, listed in Brian Loomes "Clockmakers of the World" as working in Paris between 1870 and 1880. To be very specific, George Emile Henri Servant (c.1828-1890) was not a clockmaker but a "bronzier", or worker of bronze pieces. His father operated a metal foundry on the Vielle-du-Temple in Paris. Around 1860 George succeeded his father and took over the foundry. George specialized in clock cases with either an Egyptian or a Greek classical theme, both of which were highly popular in Paris at the time. He exported 40% of his clocks to the USA after 1862. He had many artisans working in his shop designing and refining the bronze and brass ornaments, cases and statues. One of these workers had the initials VEB, and unfortunately that name has never become known, although we occasionally see these initials on the base of a sculted bronze figure. It really represents one sign that the piece was creazted in the Servant foundry. At any rate, George entered several clocks in the Universal Paris Exposition of 1867 (his first showing), along with some of his own bronze creations that were not clocks. His entrees obviously did win gold medals in the 1867 competition and he then used that designation on clock plates to indicate his awards. He used that on clocks made after 1867 in much the same way that a clock maker would put the year of his movement winning an award on a movement that he made twenty years afterwards. It is important to note the George Servant was a highly thought of bronzier. In the 1870's he was elected a member of the French Legion of Honor, and he was chosen to serve as a jurist in the awarding of these medals during the Paris Espositions of 1878 and 1889, a year before his death. George DID NOT MAKE CLOCK MOVEMENTS. He sold completed clocks and cases. He purchased his movements outside his business. ---------------------------------------------------I have been able to find clocks with the same marking on the rear plate as yours. They are black marble mantle clocks with statues sitting on top, and the clock movements are usually made by the well known Paris firm of Japy Freres & Sons. In other words Parisian clockmakers, such as Japy Freres and others, made movements for the creations of the G. Servant factory, who then marketed them. Japy Frere & Sons seem to have been the largest supplier of clock movements to Servant. ((Frederick Japy (1749-1812) started a factory at Baderel in 1810.  The company grew and became one of the great 19th century industrial firms for clocks, watches, locks, kitchen, dinner ware and water pumps.  After his death the work was carried on by his sons, whose endeavors matched those of the great industrialists in America during the 19th century. They produced a product of high quality.  The five brothers traded under the name "Japy Freres" from 1837.  After 1854 "Japy Freres et Cie" appeared., followed in 1928 by "Societe Anonyme des Establissments Japy Freres".  Prior to 1880 there was the use of a count wheel ,seen on the back plate, for striking. (This feature may be hidden by the bell on your clock, and would have been important in placing the exact date of your clock) After that date they used a rack and snail strike. The following will be helpful in dating these clocks. Usually in the small round engraved circle on the rear plate, the type of medallion won at a clock movement exposition will be given and that also will help date the clock.))----------------------------------------------------------------COMPARABLES:Regarding valuation of your clock. The condition is ourtstanding and aside from some normal wear on the face of the dial the condition of the castings is fine and undamaged. ------On November 4, 2007 the Thomaston Auction of Thomaston Maine offered a bronze sculpture (item #557) of a Greek woman pinning her robe at her shoulder, and standing on a marble base. The sulpture was designed by the Pennsylvania sculptor John Wolz (born 1844) and signed by him. However, on the base of a tree stump, where the Greek woman stands are the initials VEB, indicating that it came from one of the workers at the George Servant factory. I think this confirms my theory that the G. Servanat that location, with the initials VEB. The Robert O. Schmitt auction house in New Hampshire just this past April, 2008 sold the following clock, "Circa 1880 French, Japy Freres for G. Servant 8 day time and strike black marble and bronze figural clock with a statue of 'the Centurion'. Condition: small corner chips of marble and some loss of gilded material. Movement signed by Japy Freres medallion and marked GS medaille D'or 1867, #2059, the serial number."Christies, New york, sold a bronze female statue holding up a small round clock, in a 2004 sale .In the sale of July 2008 another signed clock with gilt bronze female figure above a white marble base with small round clock .---------------------June 2008, Chrisites in London sold a bronze figural clock with Psyche and Amor above a round signed French movement on a white marble base .A clock signed by a Swiss scultor with a French movement and bronze figure of a woman draped around the dial sold at Chrisites, London, in September 2007,In February 2007 at Chrisites, London a bronze of Leda and the Swan over a small round signed French.--------------In 2004, at the same auction house two bronze cavaliers sit over a small round French clock a.----IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONTINENTAL AND ENGLISH CLOCKS SELL IN THE USA AT A DISCOUNT COMPARED TO ENGLISH AND EUROPEAN AUCTION HOUSES, WHICH RANGES FROM 25-50%!!! However, I do not find the French figural clocks that sell here to be generally of the same high quality that sell in Europe. Your clock has the distinct advantage that we probably know the clock maker (hidden by the bell), and we certainly know the foundry (G. Servant), and we know the bronzier in that factory (VEB), and we know that the condition is excellent. So I think that your clock, even at auction here in the states would bring a price closer to the European sales. .CLOCK MEASURES APPROX. 26" HIGH X APPROX. 13-1/2" WIDE . ASK ALL QUESTIONS BEFORE BIDDING,WE WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS.WE PROVIDE A LOT OF PICTURES OF THE ITEM FOR YOUR INSPECTION.(***BUYERS TO PAID SHIPPING,H. & INSURANCE*** )**NO PAYPAL** ONLY CHECK OR MONEY ORDERS IN THE UNITED STATES,**FOR INTERNATIONAL SALES WE ONLY ACCEPT  BANK WIRE TRANSFER***WE FULLY INSURE ALL OUR PACKAGES SO ONCE IT LEAVES OUR HANDS WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES OCCURRING DURING TRANSIT.*****ALL SALES ARE FINAL****** ***DUE TO THE DELICATE NATURE & WEIGHT OF THIS CLOCK BUYER WILL PAID FOR PROFESSIONAL PACKING,SHIPPING & INSURANCE*** ** A REMINDER TO OUR EUROPEAN FRIENDS THAT DUE TO THE EXTRAORDINARY!! EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE US DOLLAR, THE EURO & THE BRITISH POUND,NOW PIECES OF THIS QUALITY CAN BE BOUGHT AT A TREMENDOUS DISCOUNT!,ALMOST 1/2 PRICE COMPARE TO THE US DOLLARS.DON'T LOOSE THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY,WE'LL SHIP WORLDWIDE**   Place a Bid!