Skip to content
The Encyclopedia of Horology

Clock · Mantel clock

Lepaute 'Urania' Musical Mantel Clock

Partially verified

This ormolu mantel clock, representing Urania, the muse of astronomy, depicts the draped muse holding a telescope beside a clock case resting upon stacked books. Accompanying scientific attributes include a celestial globe, maps, and astronomical instruments. The white enamel dial features radial Arabic numerals, pierced gilt hands, and winding apertures. According to auction cataloguers, the time movement is a firegilt round brass full plate movement with an anchor escapement, count wheel, and short pendulum striking the hours and half-hours on a single bell. The base houses an associated musical movement with gut and fusee, governor, 17 bells, and 27 hammers playing six melodies.

Ormolu figure of Urania seated beside the drum clock and celestial globe
Ormolu figure of Urania seated beside the drum clock and celestial globe — Auktionen Dr. Crott. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
www.invaluable.com
Category
Clock · Mantel clock
Maker / attribution
Lepaute
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
446
Source-reported date
circa 1780
Country
France

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Composition and Allegorical Case Design

The mantel clock presents an allegorical composition executed in ormolu, depicting Urania, the muse of astronomy. The classically draped figure holds a handheld telescope in her right hand while leaning against a circular clock drum resting upon a stack of sculpted books. The drum itself is surmounted by a ribbon bow and flanked by laurel leaf decoration.

Arranged around the muse are various scientific attributes, including an astronomical quadrant or protractor, an unrolled map scroll, and a banded celestial globe nestled beneath her drapery. According to the auction catalogue, the rectangular base features sound holes on all sides formed as open-work arches decorated with flowers and lined with red silk to emit sound from the musical mechanism.

Evidence for this section
  • “Base with sound holes on all sides: open-work arches decorated with flowers and lined with red silk.”
  • “On the base sits a sculpture of Urania, muse of astronomy, holding a telescope. She embraces the clock, which sits on a stack of books and is decorated with laurel scrolls.”

Dial Display and Movement Mechanisms

The time is displayed on a white enamel dial signed 'Lepaute', featuring radial Arabic hour numerals, pierced gilt hands, winding apertures, and an outer minute ring with dotted indices and five-minute Arabic markers.

Neither internal mechanism is visible in the lot photograph, but the auction house reports that the timekeeping section consists of a round, firegilt brass full plate movement powered by two barrels, governed by an anchor escapement with a short pendulum, and sounding the hours and half-hours via a count wheel, single hammer, and single bell. Housed within the base is a heavy brass musical movement with gut line and fusee, a governor, and a large pinned barrel with vibrating blades acting on 17 bells and 27 hammers to play six melodies.

Evidence for this section
  • “enamel, radial Arabic numerals, signed, pierced and gilt hands.”
  • “round brass full plate movement, firegilt, 1 hammer / 1 bell, 2 barrels, anchor escapement, count wheel, short pendulum.”
  • “heavy brass movement with gut/fusee and governor, large pinned brass barrel with vibrating blades, 17 bells and 27 hammers.”

Dating, Stylistic Attribution, and Evidence Limitations

The auction description assigns the clock an approximate date of circa 1780 and references scholarly comparisons, noting that Ottomeyer and Pröschel illustrate an almost identical model associated with Pierre-Antoine Foullet and attributed to sculptor Augustin Pajou. The listing also discusses Pierre-Basile Lepaute (1750–1843) and his later imperial titles.

However, the physical evidence remains subject to significant documentation constraints. The internal clockwork, musical movement, silk-lined base sound holes, and rear case are unillustrated in the cataloguing, precluding independent confirmation of their mechanical condition, maker's stamps, or originality.

Evidence for this section
  • “Height 520 mm, circa 1780”
  • “The definite book "Vergoldete Bronzen" by H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel (Vol. I, p. 162) shows a nearly identical clock by Pierre-Antoine Foullet, created around 1760. The book attributes this pendulum clock to the renowned neo-classical French sculptor Augustin Pajou (1730-1809)”

Open research questions

  • Are there movement backplate signatures, serial numbers, or foundry stamps verifying whether the time movement and bronze case originated together around circa 1780?
  • Does physical inspection confirm whether the 17-bell musical movement is contemporary to the case or an associated later addition to the base?
  • What specific six melodies are pinned onto the musical movement's brass cylinder?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Lepaute 'Urania' Musical Mantel Clock
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
DimensionsHeight 520 mm“Height 520 mm”
Clock MovementRound brass full plate movement, firegilt, 1 hammer / 1 bell, 2 barrels, anchor escapement, count wheel, short pendulum“round brass full plate movement, firegilt, 1 hammer / 1 bell, 2 barrels, anchor escapement, count wheel, short pendulum.”
Musical MovementHeavy brass movement with gut/fusee and governor, large pinned brass barrel with vibrating blades, 17 bells and 27 hammers“heavy brass movement with gut/fusee and governor, large pinned brass barrel with vibrating blades, 17 bells and 27 hammers.”
Dial DescriptionEnamel, radial Arabic numerals, signed, pierced and gilt hands“enamel, radial Arabic numerals, signed, pierced and gilt hands.”
Case ConstructionOrmolu with two-part rectangular base, sound holes with open-work arches decorated with flowers and red silk lining“Case: ormolu, two-part rectangular base. Base with sound holes on all sides: open-work arches decorated with flowers and lined with red silk.”
Musical ProgramPlays six melodies“musical movement playing 6 melodies”

Visible details

  • Gilt-bronze figure of Urania seated draped in classical garb, holding a small telescope in her right hand.
  • Circular clock drum topped by ribbon bow decoration, resting upon sculpted books.
  • White enamel dial signed 'Lepaute' with radial Arabic hour numerals, outer dotted and five-minute Arabic minute track, and pierced gilt hands.
  • Celestial globe with banded star patterns positioned beneath the drapery of the figure.
  • A scroll and astronomical quadrant or protractor instrument rest at the base.

Research qualifications

  • The internal clock and musical movements are not visible in the photograph and rely entirely on auction house descriptions.
  • The lower portion of the rectangular base is partially cropped at the bottom of the photograph.

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Sold at Auction: Lepaute, Horologer de l'Empereur à Paris, Height 520 mm, circa 1780

Reviewed 2026-10-21 · Record 64f8b3ba71

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

Other mantel clock records