Beschreibung:

A French Napoleon III gilt bronze and Carrera figural mantel clock Raingo Freres, Paris, circa 1860 The circular eight-day countwheel bell striking movement with anchor escapement, silk pendulum suspension and stamped RAINGO FRERES, Paris beneath serial number 3652 to backplate, the 4.5 inch circular convex white enamel Roman numeral dial signed RAINGO F’RES., A PARIS to centre within cobalt blue hour chapters and black Arabic five minutes to outer track, with scroll-pierced gilt hands set behind hinged convex bevel glazed bead cast bezel, the case in the Louis XVI taste with ribbon tied oak leaf crest and shallow break-arch pediment over dial flanked by acanthus scroll cast fluted pilasters set beside a figure cast as a seated female Classical scholar in flowing gown, on tall skirt base with gilt egg-and-dart top moulding over recessed panels applied with fine scrolling foliage to front and sides, with later rectangular white marble plinth, 38cm, (ins) high overall. The firm of Raingo Freres was founded in 1813 by the Belgian Zacharie Joseph Raingo. He was born in 1775, lived in Tournai and worked in Ghent before moving to Paris in 1813. By 1834 the company was being run by his four sons who received an honorable mention in an exhibition in Paris that year. While the Raingo brothers were first recognized as clockmakers, in 1841 they added bronzes and furnishings to their products. Known for the quality of their ormolu (gold plating), by 1860, Raingo Freres had supplied clocks, bronzes to Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenia, examples of which are now in the collection of The Louvre. In 1862 the company exhibited at the International Exhibition in London followed by the world exhibitions of 1867, 1878 and 1889 where several medals were awarded including a gold medal in 1898. Condition report disclaimer