A French gilt-bronze and champlevé enamel clock garniture by Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paris circa 1880

the clock in the form of a pot-pourri draped with laurel swags and with a pierced Vitruvian scrolled neck and domed cover with a scrolled boss and berried foliate finial on a plinth base hung with fruiting and foliate swags flanking tasselled drapery containing a white enamel dial with Roman cartouche numerals, on acanthus cast toupie feet, en suite with a pair of nine-light candelabra with conforming vase-shaped fluted body with strapwork handles, on a square base decorated with a lambrequin on toupie feet, signed on the base of the candelabra F. Barbedienne, decorated overall with enamelled bands of arabesques and scrollwork and neo-Grecian motifs with palmettes and stylised anthemions,

In overall very good condition and can be placed immediately. The gilt-bronze is more golden and the colours of the enamel more vibrant and attractive than in the photograph.The movement is dirty and would benefit from a service and overhaul. Some wear to the gilding on the beading generally on both the clock and the candelabra. as visible in the catalogue photograph. On one candelabrum (on the left in the photograph) some of the candelarms are bent inwards but these can easily be straightenend.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Comparative Literature:
H. Williams, Enamels of the World 1700-2000,The Khalili Collections, London, 2009, p. 73.

This magnificent clock garniture in champlevé enamel is in the goût grec style which was popularised in the reign of Louis XVI. The whole surface is beautifully enamelled in vibrant yellow, red and blue in the neo Grec revival style.

There is in the Khalili Collection an almost identical clock garniture in opaque champlevé enamel, the only difference being the stem beneath the vase on the clock is enamelled and supported by mermaids, illustrated by Williams, op. cit., p. 73. The garniture was originally part of the decoration in the William H. Vanderbilt house at 640 Fifth Avenue, New York. The interiors were designed by the Herter Brothers who used Barbedinne to supply bronzes which were either specifically commissioned or drawn from their extensive catalogue. The Khalili garniture was originally installed in the Vanderbilt library and formed part of the decoration that, according to Williams, sought to `fuse Greek and Roman themes with the impression of richness proper to a fully upholstered modern room'. Edward Strachan in his description of the interior, observed, `the mantel garniture ...is that of a phase of Marie Antoinette decoration which is sufficiently classical to go with a Greek enviroment'.

A related clock garniture in onyx and champlevé enamel of similar form but less elaborately decorated stated to be by Maison Servant and retailed by Ferdinand Barbedienne, was sold Christie's, London, The Opulent Eye, 6th March 2014, lot 103 (£116,500).

FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE (1810-1892):
Having established one of France's most important foundries in 1839, Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) excelled at the masterly art of reproducing both French and Italian Renaissance sculpture. Working for many years in collaboration with the inventor Achille Collas, Barbedienne produced bronze réductions of sculptures from the Antique using a pioneering technique which allowed him to reduce works of art to an arbitrary size using a simple mathematical calculation. However, the diversity of his production was even more substantial, as his entry to the 1867 Paris Exhibition clearly testifies."BARBEDIENNE F. 30 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris - Artistic bronzes; mantelpiece sets; chandeliers; statues; groups; artistic furniture; articles in sculptured wood and marble; articles in chased silver and repoussé gold; cloisonné enamels."

The high regard in which Barbedienne was undeniably held was formally recognised in 1850 when he was commissioned to furnish the Paris Town Hall. He received the médaille d'honeur for his efforts, presented to him at the Paris World Exhibition in 1855. A decade after this award, he was made the President of the Reunion of Bronze Makers, a post he held until 1885 and a testament to the lifelong dedication he contributed to his craft.