Beschreibung:

A CHINESE GILT-BRONZE, ENAMEL AND PASTE-SET QUARTER-STRIKING AND MUSICAL TABLE CLOCK WITH AUTOMATON WATERFALLS, SPINNING FLOWERS AND ACROBAT
PROBABLY GUANGZHOU WORKSHOPS. FIRST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
A CHINESE GILT-BRONZE, ENAMEL AND PASTE-SET QUARTER-STRIKING AND MUSICAL TABLE CLOCK WITH AUTOMATON WATERFALLS, SPINNING FLOWERS AND ACROBAT PROBABLY GUANGZHOU WORKSHOPS. FIRST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY CASE: of small proportions, modelled in three tiers as a clock on double plinth THE CLOCK: surmounted by a paste-set pineapple finial supported on a foliate frame, with automaton acrobat suspended between, all within a foliate cast gallery, the front centred by a paste-set flower, the four corners modelled with pineapples issuing green-painted foliage; the front, sides and rear panelled with blue-ground enamel with gilt, red and turquoise cold-painted enamel stylised flowers, the sides with large cast double-gourd and foliate sound frets and with further smaller sound frets above, the rear with glazed door, the front centred by a further paste-set flower and with paste-set and leaf cast bezel, raised on four foliate cast feet MIDDLE PLINTH: with foliate cast mounts below replaced C-scroll gallery mounts, with small pineapples issuing green-painted leaves to upper corners and larger pineapples to the lower corners also issuing green-painted leaves, the front mounted with five replaced paste-set revolving flowerheads LOWER PLINTH: the sides and rear with silk-backed foliate cast openwork mounts, the front with painted and cut out scene showing buildings and animals, with automaton glass rods simulating waterfalls, centred by a revolving paste-set flower mounted on a pierced metal disc which revolves in the opposite direction, above leaf-cast moulding and raised on four foliate cast scroll feet with openwork foliate mounts between; with restorations, some pineapple mounts and all leaves replaced, re-gilt DIAL: ormolu bezel to white enamel dial with Roman hour chapters and dot minute track, with Chinese 'Imperial' poem inscribed to the centre about the quick passing of time (approximately translated:'In praise of time/It turns continuously from day to night/Without stopping to contemplate/It forges ahead quarterly/How can it not bring peace?'), gilt-metal main hands and blued steel sweep seconds hand, set above a painted scene pierced to reveal automaton glass rods simulating a further waterfall MOVEMENT: the short duration movement with twin chain fusees, platform lever escapement, with hour and quarter strike on two bells, the back plate engraved with leafy sprigs, with rear hand-set and wind AUTOMATA AND MUSIC: at the hour, tripped by the clock above or at will by pulling a release cord, the acrobat (figure replaced) lifts himself over the bar twice in each direction, the automaton flowerheads revolve and the waterfalls flow, all while music plays, the automaton and musical movement wound through the rear of the plinth, with eight hammers on eight bells; winding key 18 in. (46 cm.) high; 9¾ in. (24.5 cm.) wide; 8 in. (20.5 cm.) deep