A sea of golden French-style mantle clocks

The ornate clocks created their own sea of gold, interrupted only by their white porcelain faces that stood out like watchtowers.

They were placed tightly on a table and a shelf, and a few were sprinkled among the furniture at the auction house. They were likely part of someone’s collection, and just viewing them was overwhelming. So, I could understand why some of the clocks were powdered with dust, while others shone brilliantly.

The dust didn’t seem to bother at least one auction-goer who had left green absentee-bid stickers on several of them.

French-style gilt clock holding a basket of nuts. She has a mallet in her right hand. — French-style gilt clock with a woman holding a basket of nuts. The figure has a mallet in its right hand.

I found the gilt figural clocks a little too gaudy and fussy for my taste, so I gave them a cursory glance. I was about to move on when I paused to look more closely at the adults and children carved on them. Some of both were holding books and flowers. Some men wore their hats tipped haughtily to the side. Musicians held instruments and artists held easels. A soldier waved a bugle.

I wasn’t sure how old any of these were, but they resembled French gilt-bronze figural clocks that were made in the Rococo style from the 18^th-century reign of Louis XV. Clocks – along with paintings, sculptures and decorative arts – were crafted in elaborate and ornate designs.

The style was toned down under Louis XVI, replaced by the French Empire style. Clockmakers used classical designs, mythological creatures and motifs, and topped their clocks with heroes, prominent military and literary figures, cupids, gods and goddesses.

The auction house described its selection of clocks as “antique to semi-antique French style elaborate carved and figural mantle clocks.”

Here are some of them and the human figures that graced them:

French-style clock with a young man (left) and a soldier with a bugle and rifle. — French-style gilt clock with a young man (left) and a soldier with a bugle and rifle.

French-style clock with a young woman. This clock may be in the Empire style. — French-style gilt clock with a young woman. This clock may be in the French Empire style.

French-style clock with a bouquet of flowers. — French-style gilt clock with a young man and a bouquet of flowers.

French-style clock with jolly boy. — French-style gilt clock with jolly boy.

French-style clock with children. — French-style gilt clock with children.

French-style clock with a woman of religion. — French-style gilt clock with a woman praising.

French-style clock with a carefree fellow. — French-style gilt clock with a carefree fellow.

French-style clock with a man and house. — French-style gilt clock with a man and house.

French-style clock with male figure. — French-style gilt clock with male figure.

French-style clock with painter. — French-style gilt clock with a painter.

French-style clock: boy with flowers (left) and boy with staff. — French-style gilt clock: boy with flowers (left) and boy with staff.

French-style clock with artist (left) and Cupid. — French-style gilt clock with painter (left) and Cupid.

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