An antique Blue John clock
Tuesday, February 4th 2025
Spath-fluor and ormolu.
A lidded vase with a mascaron decorated vase, leafy handles and heraldic leather rests on a fluted column encircled by a laurel torus resting on a rectangular base supported by four small ball feet. A snake coiled around the lid marks the hours and half-hours on two annular enamel dials inscribed with Arabic and Roman numerals.
Late 18th century.
Height: 40 cm.
Provenance: acquired from Galerie Pentcheff, Villefranche; a castle in the Gard region.
Bibliography: Pierre Kjellberg, “Encyclopédie de la pendule française”, Les éditons de l'Amateur, 1997, features a similar clock, entirely mounted in ormolu, reportedly held in the collections of the Pavlovsk Palace near St. Petersburg, as well as another ormolu and blue lacquered bronze mounted clock (formerly held in the P. Izarn collection) signed by Robert and reproduced p.285 (F).
Spath-fluor, also known as Derbyshire or Blue John, is a limestone with wonderful shimmering colors ranging from violet to pale green. Extracted from the Tray Cliff and Castleton quarries in Derbyshire in Roman times, it was rediscovered in 1743 and mined around 1760. French haberdashery merchants such as Poirier, Daguerre and Darnault imported these stones and mounted them with ormolu chiseled by the greatest masters. This extremely rare material is hardly ever found in private collections and at public auctions. A cup, a goblet and a seal were reportedly held in the collections of the French queen Marie-Antoinette; a vase by Thomire was bought in 1814 by King George IV of England and another vase is kept at the J. P. Getty Museum (Inv. 70.DE.115). The apparent simplicity of the revolving dial mechanism developed at the end of the 18th century is truly fascinating. Another spectacular specimen with ormolu mounts is held in the Louvre collections (Louvre, OA 10543).
Estimate: 25,000 ~ 35,000€