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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Clock · Mantel clock

Mantel clock (horloge de cheminée)

Partially verified

This mantel clock (horloge de cheminée), dated circa 1745, is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession 2019.283.70). The object is attributed to the French maker Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain (1719–1791). Constructed from gilded and chased bronze with a white enamel dial, the clock exhibits a complex sculptural design. Its dimensions are recorded as 24 by 20 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches (61 by 52.1 by 21.6 cm). The timepiece component, signed on the dial, sits central to a decorative frame featuring figurative bronze elements. The documentation provided by The Metropolitan Museum of Art serves as the primary basis for the identification and physical characteristics of this individual timepiece.

Mantel clock (horloge de cheminée) in gilded and chased bronze with enamel dial.
Mantel clock (horloge de cheminée) in gilded and chased bronze with enamel dial. — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Clock · Mantel clock
Maker / attribution
Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
2019.283.70
Source-reported date
ca. 1745
Source-reported place
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

Construction and Materials

The object is a mantel clock (horloge de cheminée) constructed primarily of gilded and chased bronze. This metalwork forms the ornate case, which serves as the mounting for the timepiece movement and the dial.

The dial is rendered in white enamel, featuring Roman numerals for the primary hour track and Arabic numerals indicating the minutes at five-minute intervals. The dial bears the specific inscription "CHARLES LEROY A PARIS".

Evidence for this section
  • “Gilded and chased bronze; white enamel”
  • “catalogued by the museum's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department under the title “Mantel clock (horloge de cheminée)””

Design and Attribution

The clock is attributed to Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain, an artisan active in France during the mid-eighteenth century. The sculptural case features a figure perched atop the clock dial, flanked by decorative elements and supported by two kneeling figures at the base.

The overall dimensions of the clock are 24 inches in height, 20 1/2 inches in width, and 8 1/2 inches in depth, corresponding to the physical measurements documented by the museum.

Evidence for this section
  • “attributed to Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain (French, 1719–1791)”
  • “24 × 20 1/2 × 8 1/2 in. (61 × 52.1 × 21.6 cm)”

Institutional Documentation

This clock is held within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York under the accession number 2019.283.70. The museum's Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts provides the catalogue information for this object.

The documentation provided notes that the object is recorded in the museum's open-access record system, which serves as the reference for its identification and physical description.

Evidence for this section
  • “Mantel clock in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession 2019.283.70)”
  • “These details are transcribed from the museum's open-access record”

Open research questions

  • What specific horological movement powers the clock face signed by Charles Leroy?
  • Are there additional documented examples of this specific model of clock case by Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain in other collections?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Mantel clock (horloge de cheminée)
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerJean-Joseph de Saint Germain“attributed to Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain (French, 1719–1791)”
Object NameMantel clock (horloge de cheminée)“catalogued by the museum's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department under the title “Mantel clock (horloge de cheminée)””
Accession Number2019.283.70“Museum object number 2019.283.70”
Dateca. 1745“The museum dates it ca. 1745.”
MaterialsGilded and chased bronze; white enamel“Gilded and chased bronze; white enamel”
Dimensions24 × 20 1/2 × 8 1/2 in. (61 × 52.1 × 21.6 cm)“24 × 20 1/2 × 8 1/2 in. (61 × 52.1 × 21.6 cm)”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial with Arabic numeral minute markers and Roman numeral hour markers
  • Dial bears the signature 'CHARLES LEROY A PARIS'
  • Clock face is supported by two kneeling figurative bronze elements
  • Ornate gilded bronze base features scrolling foliate motifs

Research qualifications

  • Attribution to Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain is conditional per the museum record
  • Wider type verification is requested by the source

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

Consulted source

Mantel clock (horloge de cheminée), ca. 1745

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record f59c0326e4

Terms in this record

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

Other mantel clock records