A RARE FIND! LARGE 19TH C FRENCH JAPY FRERES BOULLE INLAID PORTICO MANTEL CLOCK

Description: From the non-smoking home and estate of a fellow NAWCC member, horologist, and avid collector of quality antique clocks. And when considering a purchase such as this, what better source could be found. Offered here today is a highly detailed and decorated, and rarely seen larger sized Portico style Boulle Inlaid Black Lacquer Mantel Clock manufactured by renowned French clock makers Japy Freres of Beaucort, France. (Japy Freres translates as 'Japy Brothers', of which there were five, first trained in the art of fine clock making by their father.) This clock was built between 1846 and 1854, making it roughly 170 years of age today. While the black lacquered and brass inlaid wood body is not 'showroom perfect' after more than a century and a half, neither is it heavily worn, damaged or in serious disrepair. Overall the condition of this clock reflects it's having been reasonably well cared for and maintained over it's lifetime, and retaining of the qualities which make this timepiece a valuable collector item. The clock's movement, porcelain dial face, hands, enumeration, and decorative pendulum bob are all original and in very fine condition, with no damage to my finding or knowledge. The movement has recently received an ultrasonic cleaning, and re-lubrication as proper to the mechanism. All mechanical function is smooth, correct, and it is keeping good time. This is a 'pendule de paris', 'drum' movement, with both 'time and strike' trains which provides a count announcement on the hour and single strike on the half-hour, both on a bell. Visible on the back plate of the movement are the serialization number, 2972, stamped into the lower edge of the plate. Just above this is the disc shaped makers mark, the name Japy Freres in the center, and ringed by the words "Medaille D' Or" (Gold Medal). This stamp is in reference to the works of the Japy Brothers exhibited at the 1846 Paris Expo having been awarded the Gold Medal, and was used to mark Japy Freres movements until 1854. Additional detail about the Movement:Brocot SuspensionCount Wheel in strike train vs. Rack & Snail8 day, key-wound spring operationKey is included As is often seen, those who have serviced or done any work on a movement during it's life will sometimes have etched notation of this onto the movement or back of the dial. There are a couple present on the back of this clock's face frame, the only legible one stating "Le 22 Aout 1883" (August 22, 1883). This is only visible if the movement is removed from the clock body. The clock has been running for several weeks straight now since it's cleaning, and is keeping very good time. I've found no signs of damage, repair, or excessive wear to the movement. The Dial:5 inch dial face is white porcelain enamel w/ blue chapter ring outline- no cracks or chipsRoman Numerals- Deep blue on white porcelain enamel cartouche, each in a gilt brass frameHands are a delicate, open design in a decorative twisted square gilt wire atop a detailed gilt center escutcheon.Highly detailed trim ring in a clustered leaf pattern is a stamped brass with gilt finishAll dial components look to be in exceptionally nice, undamaged condition. The Pendulum: One of the most unusual and detailed that I've seen, this is a floral and leaf design which includes a beautiful visiting butterfly. With a gilt finish, the piece is made in stamp pressed brass of several varied alloys, giving the design some unique color variation between it's components. The lovely piece serves actually as a decorative shroud that hides / disguises the actual pendulum bob (weight). This piece also shows no signs of issue or damage. The Clock Body: I'm unsure of the exact specie used, but I believe the wood clock body to be a semi-hardwood, possibly Birch. It's a relatively light color, fine grain, and fairly light in weight, but is not a soft 'white wood'. It is finished in black lacquer, and decorated in a Boulle style inlay of etched brass, mother-of-pearl, and what looks to be tortoise shell or a blended red enamel. As is fairly common with inlays of the period, there are some areas of lifting in the brass, though minor, some visible shrinkage and cracking of the tortoise shell / red enameled highlights, some with small chips missing, and a few small scattered areas of chipped / missing veneer in the black lacquered finish. There is also one angular shrinkage split of the wood deck beneath the left rear pillar which is visible in the last photo (at the lower right) and a small area on each side of the base plinth where the finish looks to have been worn as if from polishing. These can be seen in photos 16 and 17 (side photos). Overall Dimensions: 21 in. High X 12 in. Wide X 6 in. Deep From the estate of a non-smoking home. Be sure to check out all the item photos.Feel free to ask any questions; I'll be happy to help. Purchase and shipment is within USA only. Because of the intricacies involved in the packaging of this item for safe, undamaged delivery, there is a 4 day handling time before shipment. Local pick up is also an option.

Price: 1865 USD

Location: Wichita, Kansas

End Time: 2023-12-08T19:46:47.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD