Object Description
French gilded ormolu mantel clock with blue hand painted floral porcelain panels (the panels all separately signed ‘Creilliet Montereai, Medaillon D’or, L.M. Cie 1834-38). Beautifully decorated case with applied ormolu mounts, floral swags to each side with two fauns heads surmounted by a shallow urn with rams heads and standing on turned ormolu toupee feet. The bezel surrounding the dial is profusely decorated with beading. Fine white enamel dial with Roman numerals, original blued steel hands signed ‘Wilson and Gandar, 392 Strand, Fabrique De Paris’.
Eight day movement striking the hours and halves on a silvered bell numbered 1025. C.1855
‘Watchmakers and clockmakers of the world’ by Brian Loomes lists Wilson and Gandar as working from 392, The Strand, London from 1851-1875.
The faun in Greek mythology was half human, half goat and was the manifestation of animal spirits, it was believed that they were capable of guiding humans in need as in the fable of the ‘Satyr and the Traveller’.