Ring in the New Year: Mantle Clocks, Part Two

This Mary MacDonald bedroom has touches of black throughout--including the mantle clock on the shelf.
Courtesy of: The Allure of Style.

Last week, I focused on very fancy mantle clocks. Today, we will examine their humbler--but, to my eyes, even more delightful and useful--cousins.We'll start with the ever-utilitarian black mantle clock.

 Black Mantle Clocks

Jane and Stephen Garney's house, courtesy of Elle Decor. Photo: John M. Hall

In New Classic Interiors, the Italian-born, Chicago-based  interior designer Alessandra Branca writes, "Every room needs a touch of black to give it depth." I wholeheartedly agree. (And think about it: so often a room has a television, phone or some other black appliance in it; a black accoutrement helps tie in those disparate elements.) What could be a better, more charming choice than a black mantle clock? Black mantle clocks, rendered in either stone or cast iron, appear frequently at auction. (For a cast iron clock, be sure to include the shipping cost into your budget: these babies are not light!) Here are some fine examples...

Ansonia cast iron mantle clock, circa 1890. Estimate $225-350. At auction in Denver on January 15th.

Black slate and marble inset clock. At auction in Saugus, MA on January 12th. Estimate $200-250.

Keep one of these four clocks for yourself, above, save the rest as housewarming or anniversary gifts for special friends.
At Rago Auctions on January 13th, estimate $300-500. 

Ansonia four column marble and cast iron mantle clock, at Bruhn's on January 15th, estimate $150-275.

Japy Freres Duhme slate and marble mantle clock, circa 1900. At Cowan's in Ohio on January 12th, estimate $300-500.

Wooden Mantle Clocks

An Arts & Crafts clock in a Michael S. Smith bedroom. From Elements of Style.

Arts & Crafts style New Haven Clock, circa 1910. At Bruhn's on January 15th, estimate $100-150.

By now, you may have noticed that many of the lots mentioned in this and the previous post are available at Bruhn's in Denver. This is because the whole January 15th auction is devoted to clocks. Single category auctions like these attract experts: zealous collectors and antiques retailers. The good thing about these kinds of auctions is that the estimates tend to be where the market is: Bruhn's knows its stuff. If the estimates seem low, its because mantle clocks are an antiques store's dream: portable, storable, with tremendous eye appeal, and you're used to seeing those prices. One thing is clear: once you see what you can pay for mantle clocks in the wholesale market, it is highly unlikely you'll ever be capable of stomaching retail prices again!

Early steeple clocks. At Bruhn's in Denver on January 15th, estimate $100-175.

English Aesthetic Movement Shelf Clock. At Bruhn's on January 15th, estimate $350-475.

Franz Hermie German Bracket Clock. In Denver on January 15th, estimate $250-350.

Rosewood cuckoo mantle clock. At Fairfield auctions on January 15th, estimate $2,000-3,000.

To find out whether the clock you're interested in actually runs:  if the clock is in "Good" or "Excellent" condition, it most likely works. But to be certain: call or email the auction house and ask! I think it's nice to have them function, but don't overlook the ones that don't, as they make a beautiful addition regardless.

George III mahogany and brass mantle clock. At Skinner on January 14th. Estimate $1,500-2,500.

Viennese ebonized mantle clock. At Skinner on January 14th, estimate $1,200-1,800.

Mantle Clocks: Ring in the New Year, Part One

Courtesy of Bunny Williams' Point of View

Ringing in a new year causes one to consider the passage of time, of course. Thus, it seems only fitting that my first posting in 2012 is about clocks--mantle clocks to be precise. Mantle clocks are trusty, medium-sized timepieces, ranging from 8-18" in height, that, in our modern era, also serve as very elegant and adaptable accoutrements. Frequently found at auction and surprisingly reasonable in price, mantle clocks make wonderful wedding, anniversary or housewarming gifts for a cherished (and lucky!) friend or family member. They are also a great layering piece for one's own home. This week, we will explore several styles frequently found at auction in two separate postings. Today, we have the fancier examples, with the humbler, primarily American, mantle clocks coming later in the week. Enjoy.

Gilt Mantle Clocks

Bunny Williams's ormolu mantle clock.

Let's begin with gilt clocks, since they reflect the origin of the mantle clock, which began in 18th century France during the reign of Louis XV. We'll start with one of my favorites: Bunny Williams's ormolu clock depicting a gardener (seen here and at the top of this blog). I just love the gilt hydrangea that comes out of the "wheelbarrow." In Point of View, the designer writes that she found this timepiece in California (which wouldn't be my first guess), and "could not live without [it]." I love it too, and have never seen anything like it in all my years scouring auction houses.

19th c French ormulu mantle clock. At Roland, New York on January 7th, estimate $400-500.

French Empire mantle clock, at Freeman's in Philadelphia on January 25th, estimate $1,500-2,000.

Now, mantle clocks need not be limited to the mantle. Interior Designer Suzanne Rheinstein uses a gilt clock to great effect on a desk in this gorgeous green bedroom.

A bronze dore clock, above, enhances this green guest room, courtesy of At Home: A Style for Today with Things from the Past.
 

19th c. Empire style clock. At Freeman's on January 25th, estimate $800-1,200.

19th c French empire gilt-bronze clock. At Leslie Hindman on January 25th, estimate $3,000-5,000.

  By 1850, advancements in manufacturing suddenly made it feasible to produce mantle clocks on a vast scale. The Ansonia Clock company, based in Ansonia, Connecticut, manufactured thousands of cast metal clocks between 1850 and 1929. Clocks done in the French style, such as this Vassar clock, were  popular with those in the middle class with champagne tastes, albeit a less accommodating budget.

Ansonia Figural mantle clock. At Bruhn's in Denver on January 15th, estimate $275-400.

   On the other end of the spectrum is this stunning, 19th century Parisian clock. Given its generous dimensions (26.5" highx 15.5" wide), this clock must have adorned quite some mantle in its day.

French gilt-bronze figural clock. At Christie's on January 10-11th, estimate $4,000-6,000.

Empire Style

An Empire clock graces a mantle in a Bunny Williams dining room. From Point of View.

During Napoleon's reign, French design became decidedly more restrained. No longer looking to Versailles for direction, French artists, caught up in the democratic fervor of the time, harkened back to Greece and Rome. This rebirth of classic influences--neoclassicism--long outlived the emperor; indeed, it became the prevailing design style of the 19th and 20th century, popular to this very day. So-called "Empire" mantle clocks appear in many shapes and sizes, but the signature, iconic style is the portico clock, which gets its name because the clock face appears suspended between (or in some cases perched above) ionic columns. Depending on the style, portico clocks can look fantastic in modern settings.

Charles X Empire Clock. At Freeman's in Philadelphia on January 25th, estimate $800-1,200.

French Empire Style clock. At auction in New Jersey on January 16th, estimate $300-400.

This stunning Italian clock sold, fittingly, on New Year's Day. The hammer price was $500.

Michael Smith is one of my favorite designers. I've always loved this guest bedroom, which appears in his book Elements of Style.The Empire clock looks so wonderful on this dresser (though, um, it is a dresser has been so styled it wouldn't hold any of YOUR things).

A gilt bronze Empire clock with all the bells and whistles. In Palm Beach on January 16th, estimate $2,000-3,000.

A mantle clock can be a nice focal point atop a chest of drawers. From Point of View.

French Empire Style inlaid rosewood mantle clock, at auction in Denver on January 15th, estimate $475-600.

A neoclassical style gilt-bronze clock. In Chicago on January 22nd, estimate $600-800.

Suzanne Kasler uses an Empire clock on a sideboard.

As mentioned, there will be more mantle clocks to come later in the week. For now, Happy New Year--and Happy Bidding!