Monumental Antique French Black Stone and Green Marble Mantel Clock with Writer Figure (537)

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G — Antique marble mantle clock with bronze figure of a writer

A — Monumental antique black stone and green marble mantel clock with a writer’s figure (antique marble mantle clock) (537)

TAGS — antique clock, mantel clock, black marble, green marble, bronze figure, writer, historicism style, 19th century, clock, table clock, antique marble mantle clock, Libava, Karosta, Tyagin

B — Impressive, large-sized and unusually heavy antique mantel clock in luxurious 19th-century historicism style. The clock’s base and frame are made of massive, polished Belgian black stone, adorned on the front with expressive dark green marble (Vert de Mer) panels and a round medallion. The composition is crowned by a darkly patinated metal/bronze sculpture depicting a thoughtful 16th–17th-century writer or poet with a quill in hand, sitting by a stack of books and an inkwell on a decorative chair. The clock has a white enamel dial with Roman numerals and its original mechanism.

C — Antique Marble Mantle Clock Bronze Figure

D — This antique marble mantle clock features a solid black stone base with green marble inserts and a finely detailed bronze figure of a seated writer.

E — antique marble mantle clock

F — antique–marble-mantle-clock-bronze-writer-537

Height: 45 cm

Width: 53 cm

Monumental antique black stone and green marble mantel clock with a writer’s figure (antique marble mantle clock)

Academic elegance, masculine solidity, and the monumental spirit of the late 19th century meet in this impressively sized and unusually heavy mantel clock. This work of art is an outstanding masterpiece of the historicism era, combining the sculpture and stonemasonry of the highest circles. The clock’s massive body is forged from deep black, polished Belgian stone (Noir Belge), whose strict, architectural lines are excellently softened and contrasted on the front by exquisite, dark green marble (Vert de Mer) plates and a central, round marble medallion with an expressive natural grain pattern.

The top of the composition is crowned by a large, highly detailed, and darkly patinated bronze/metal sculpture depicting a Renaissance or Baroque intellectual — a writer, poet, or scholar in historical attire with a dagger at his belt. He is shown in deep thought, sitting on a luxurious, upholstered chair with turned legs, while his hand rests on a freshly completed scroll, and next to him on the clock’s frame are a stack of books and writing implements. The clock has a classic, white enamel dial with black Roman numerals and two winding holes, enclosed by a shiny brass frame with original glass, and behind the glazed door, the historical anchor-type mechanism with a bell is visible.

Period of manufacture

Last quarter of the 19th century, approximately 1880–1895. During this flourishing period of historicism, in European imperial society, estates, and the salons of leading militarists, such heavy, dark stone clocks with historical and academic figures were the primary status symbol for cabinets and parade halls.

Manufacturer / signature / stamp

The mechanism’s construction, the stone cutting of the case, and the high detail of the sculpture (from the folds of the attire to the book covers) indicate a masterpiece from a leading Parisian clock manufactory. Monumental clocks of this level, complete with mantel vases or candelabras, were eagerly purchased for provincial centers to furnish the homes of city architects, judges, and naval elite.

Rarity and significance

The clock’s value lies in its intact stone structure and the integrity of the sculpture. As the object is extremely heavy, during transport over the centuries, such marble cases very often had chipped corners or broken delicate details of the figures (quill, dagger handle). This specimen has reached our days in excellent visual and technical condition.

Application

This monumental clock is created to become the visual anchor of any room. It will look ideal on a large, antique mantelpiece, on a massive oak desk in a study, library, or on a parade console in a spacious hallway next to historical paintings, instantly giving the interior aristocratic solidity and intellectual depth.

Condition

The clock is in excellent antique condition. The black stone and green marble body is completely intact, without cracks or chips, retaining its noble, historical polish. The bronze/metal figure is firm, with its original, impeccable dark patina and all fine details. The dial’s enamel is clean, without cracks or defects. The mechanism is complete, visually clean, and preserved in its authentic configuration. The condition of the item is fully reflected in the photographs.

Snapshot of the era, polar explorer Evstafiy Tyagin: A serene Sunday afternoon calm reigns in the quiet, solid residential building of Libava’s Northern suburb. The room is filled with the aroma of freshly brewed tea and the heavy, calm ticking of a clock, occasionally complemented by the distant, rhythmic thud of steam hammers from the Tosmare shipyard. At the table, rereading old expedition diaries and Novaya Zemlya (