Hello Rina,
Thank you for sending in this fine mantel clock to mearto.com for an appraisal.
TITLE:
Dore bronze, two train, double barrel, eight day time and hour/half hour striking mantel clock in -the -style -of- Louis XVI, made and/or retailed by the firm of A. Chapus, 86 Rue de Rivoli, Paris circa 1880.
(see: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5922828_157-a-chapus-paris-marble-mantel-clock for a similar styled clock by the same maker, but in a black marble case.)
PROVENANCE:
My father got this clock from an antiques clock collector that shared my dads passion for clocks.
DESCRIPTION:
Case: Measuring 30cmx20cmx10cm this is a Louis XVIth styled mantel clock in gilt brass, the case built in the form of a cube with a fine gilt metal finish. Surmounted by a capped and chased urn with a foliate vertical finial at the top, the urn with its cap and stemmed pedestal serves as the finial for the clock. The central part of the clock case is cubic in shape with a flat pediment at the top and the facade centering a gilt brass glazed bezel overlying the dial (see below). The dial is surrounded by four foliate engraved corner spandrels. Although the sides of the case are not shown they appears to have lion head pulls on both sides of the case (lion head pulls are mostly found during the late Victorian era of the 19th century). The back is unadorned and also made of gilt brass (Dore Bronze). Just below the dial facade is the top of the base moulding which is engraved with lance-leaf decoration in the French style. The flat and broad gilt base has an applied anthemion at the center and the case rests on animal paw feet with a fine ankle with curls and pinwheels. The rear of the case has a circular opening for accessing the movement.
Dial: A knurled edge brass glazed bezel overlies the dial which is surrounded by a ‘C’ scroll decorated dial enclosure. The round white porcelain dial is enameled with blue Roman hours, closed bar minute track with dots placed every five minutes inside the minute track. Arabic markers are also placed every five minutes outside the minute track. There are shaped fenestrated gilt brass hands in the style of Louis XVIth. There are two winding apertures for the dual barrel springs of the movement and of importance is the 'Brocot' aperture above the twelve for altering the speed of the clock mechanism from the dial side, both faster and slower. This was invented by Achille Brocot in France circa 1841 and by the 1850s most French clockmakers were using this new regulating device which could be simply turned to make the clock run slower and faster without opening the back of the case. The dial is unsigned.
Movement: This is a round solid brass plate movement with brass tubular pillars connecting the plates and they are are pinned at the back plate. There is an anchor recoil escapement, steel cut pinions, and two-barrel springs which power the clock for eight days and cause striking on the silvered bell on the hour and half hour. The two barrel springs are easily visualized in the photo taken from below. Striking is aided by a countwheel seen on the upper right side of the back plate. On the upper left side of the rear plate there is a number, 558, which is a factory model number. above the number it says, "A. Chapus, 86 R. de Rivoli". It is important to understand that the names found in the upper left hand quadrant of the rear plate of such movements DID NOT usually hold the name of the clockmaker but rather that of the retailer or import/exporting firm. Therefore, I feel the A. Chapus is the retailer who originally sold the clock. The base of the rear plate hold some numbers, but is not officially signed by a specific clockmaker. Some of these late 19th century clocks were also unsigned. If the movement is signed by the maker it would be beneath the bell, and would raise the price I have supplied to you by another 15%. There is a suspension which is not shown clearly in the upper part of the back plate. It appears to be a spring suspension (1840 or later) rather than a thread suspension (late 18th century) and the pendulum that would hang from this suspension would have two claws. Also, when one finds an early thread suspension there is an accompanying knob attached to the back plate (not seen here). That knob would provide extra thread for making the suspension longer. A. Chapus may be a descendant from one of the earlier Chapus or Chappuis clock firms of the late 18th and early 19th centuries in France. The two main gear wheels provide power for the time side of the movement that lasts for eight days on a single winding and power to the strike side that causes striking the hour and half hour on the silvered bell.
CONDITION: Case - Aside from a few scratches the case is in excellent condition. Being done in Dore bronze makes this clock closely resemble some of the Louis XVIth case styles made a century earlier.
Dial: Perfect with no hairline fractures.
Movement: Traditional and in very good original condition and likely functional.
Overall in Excellent condition.
COMPARABLES:
~https://www.barnebys.com/realized-prices/lot/19th-c-french-dore-bronze-clock-maker-marked-GmUDw0WxUr (sold for $1500 in 2018)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5922828_157-a-chapus-paris-marble-mantel-clock (SOLD FOR $500 BACK IN 2008)
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/62873845_a-19th-cent-french-clock-signed-a-chapus-paris (SOLD FOR $190 IN 2017)
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/66632761_a-good-19th-century-french-garniture-de-cheminee-the
(SOLD FOR $329 IN 2018)
~https://www.barnebys.com/realized-prices/lot/a-french-mantel-clock-black-slate-case-with-ormolu-mounts-19th-century-lXDt4vY6H (sold for $550 in 2017)
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/9800494_1001-green-marble-shelf-clock (sold for $450 back in 2011)
PRICING:
This is a beautiful French clock which could almost be interpreted as being original in the Louis XVIth era, but for a few specific findings. I believe the fair market value of this clock, in it current condition, would fall into the $1500-$2000 fair market price range. I thank you for choosing mearto.com for your appraisal.
My best,
David