Featured Help identifying Slate Mantle clock with French movement.

Hello again,

Recently acquired this masterpiece Got a French AD Mougin Movement, need some help identifying the maker or the statues on the front.

Thank you

 

Wellllll... I don't know about clocks, but I think the figures are Greek characters... Gods... like Bacchus, Phaethon, and that crowd.

 

The characters look more like Roman female figures to me, but I might be wrong.

 

For me, the hair and clothes look Greece-y, but there is a lot of overlap... I bet a military history expert (and we have a few here) might take a look at the helmets and chariots.
If you don't get a good answer on this thread, you might try another category (Militaria?) to catch the attention of those folks.
Then there's always a chance that the artist just made stuff up that looked nice!

 

The pseudo classical friezes and figures were very common on this type of clock . It took the classical temple look just a bit further and cost just a bit more.

Originally the bronze, cast embellisments were finished with a black 'patina' to imitate old bronze, they are often polished later to ''brighten the clock up a bit''.

Date about 1900. Very modest value at the present time when clock prices are low.

There is no way to identify the case maker, nor any poinnt in doing so, just some blokes in a dusty shed somewhere. The figures are generic with no real relevance to anything. All of the many examples of simialr clocks that I have had or seen seem to have ordered their trimmings from the same parts catalogue.

In time this look may come back into fashion. At least the movements are good quality. The cases are good quality, but it's not a look people are buying right now.

 

As to the pressed gilded metal panel/band across the top of the temple front looks more like Greek warriors. They seem to have classical Greek helmets and shields. Greek shields tended to be round while Roman shields tended to be rectangular in shape. Noww the roof of the temple and the building in general looks a little bit more Roman in style. Classical Greek scenes with buildings tend to have columns with Corinthian, Ionic or Doric capitals.

Greek helmets:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Greek+warrior+helmets&biw=1024&bih=591&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3rMit97jJAhUBdj4KHXStCxsQ_AUIyQIoAQ#tbm=isch&q="Greek"+warrior+helmets

Greek shields:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Rom...BigB#tbm=isch&q=classic+Greek+warrior+shields

Roman helmets:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Greek+battle+scene+on+mantle+clock&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiike6G87jJAhUHyj4KHR6IAyIQsAQILg&biw=1024&bih=591#tbm=isch&q="Roman"+warrior+helmets

Roman shields:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Rom...BigB#tbm=isch&q=classic+Roman+warrior+shields

The clock gurus will need to see pics of the back of the clock with the movement door open so they can see the clock's movements.

--- Susan

 

No real need, Susan, there is a standard round French movement and a coiled gong with a hammer on the backplate.

Trying to identify the figures is like trying to locate the real Metropolis from the background buildings in a Superman comic. Every element of the design was pulled from a mixing pot called 'classical' and you can't read into it anything apart from that.

The figures are cast bronze, not pressed brass, that would be a bit too cheapo for a clock that was relatively expensive for it's time.

 

I knew it! Another artist pulling stuff out of thin air, justifying him/herself, saying... "Hey, it's art, not history!"

The real Metropolis... well, well, well said!

 

Thank you for all the info guys, really helpful as always.

And to be honest, these tend to make a come back nowadays, had quite a few roman style ones with columns, and they fetched a really good price, at least compared to what I paid for them.

And there's really no need for identification, is just to widen my knowledge

 

Hey , if you can get decent coin for those.....a feather in your cap bloke !!!