Table clock; France, third quarter of the nineteenth century.

Table clock; France, third quarter of the nineteenth century.
Gilt and patinated bronze. Enameled porcelain and rose gold.
It has Brocot suspension.
Preserves pendulum and key.
Measurements: 72 x 60 x 36 cm.
This work follows the model of Jean Baptiste Baillon's clock known as "The Elephant", which is part of the National Heritage collection, Royal Palace of Madrid. Jean-Baptiste III Baillon (d. 1772), was one of the best manufacturers who supplied movements for these remarkable and rare clocks, including some with cases identical to the presemte. One was acquired for the Spanish royal collection, as noted above, another is in the Residenz in Bamberg and a third in the Residenz in Munich. Others include one from the collection of Lord Hillingdon sold in Paris in 1976.
Nineteenth-century bronze table clocks were key pieces of interior decoration and design, as well as symbols of social status and refinement. Elaborately crafted and often adorned with artistic motifs, these clocks not only served to measure time, but also reflected the technical advances and taste for fine craftsmanship of the period. Bronze, a durable and aesthetically appreciated material, allowed the creation of complex and elegant forms, integrating styles such as neoclassical or rococo, which made them highly valued objects in the residences of high society.