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Vienna, first half of the 19th century
- Case
- alabaster, fire-gilt bronze mounts (ormolu)
- Dial
- hand in the shape of Cupid aiming with bow and arrow, rotating dial ring (cercle tournant) ouf of fire-gilt brass with pierced numerals for the hours and dots for the quarters, engine turned and fire-gilt candle socket inside the dial ring for the use as night light clock
- Movement
- horizontal movement with verge escapement with fusee
- Height
- 11¼ in
This unusual time keeper is a combination of chandelier and clock. Inside the alabaster bowl with ormolu mounts is a horizontal movement with verge escapement and fusee. The indication of time “au cercle tournant” is executed by a turning brass ring with pierced numerals for the hours and pierced dots for the quarters. The stationary hand has the shape of an ormolu cupid who indicates the time with his arrow and bow. An engine turned ormolu candle socket makes it possible to light the chandelier and to use it as night light clock. This exceptional piece was made in Vienna during the first half of the 19th century. Comparable objects are published in the specialized literature, such as Kaltenböck’s “Die Wiener Uhr” or Tardy’s “La Pendule Francaise”.