Lot description
AN EXCEPTIONAL IMPERIAL CHINESE ORMOLU, ENAMEL AND PASTE-SET STRIKING, MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON 'JARDINIERE' CLOCK GUANGZHOU WORKSHOPS. QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795), LATE 18TH CENTURY CASE: finely decorated with coloured and transparent paste set against a translucent blue basse-taille enamelled ground, further detailed with red and green floral enamels and gold foils; the lower section with the front and two sides opening to reveal automaton scenes and the rear with silk-backed pierced ormolu rectangular panel; the middle section with an openwork ormolu gallery, each corner mounted with an ormolu vase, the canted angles each with double Corinthian pilasters, the front is set with the clock dial; the upper section formed as an octagonal jardiniere, issuing sprays of foil leaves mounted with multi-coloured paste-set flowerheads, two of them 'trembling' naturalistically and two of them automata DIAL: with red and white paste-set bezel and convex glass to white enamel dial, the pierced ormolu hands set via knob to the front of the tier below AUTOMATA: hourly, or at will by pulling a knob to the right front angle of the case, to the front of the base tier a recessed scene accommodating two lines of painted metal European figures parading with gardening tools and attributes; to the sides, painted and pierced panels show tropical birds amidst foliage, backed by spiral-twist glass rods to simulate waterfalls; the floral bouquet in the jardiniere with revolving flowerhead to the front and centred by a flower opening and closing naturalistically; all while music plays CLOCK AND MUSICAL AUTOMATA MOVEMENT: with triple chain and fusees wound from the rear and verge escapement, the back plate engraved with leafy sprigs, with hour strike on bell and hourly music playing via a pinned cylinder on eight bells with eight hammers, with drive to the automaton features 30 in. (70.6 cm) high x 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide x 10 1/4 in. (26 cm.) deep
