Louis XIV Style Martinot Bracket Clock with Brass Inlay
A Louis XIV style bracket clock in the Martinot manner, second half 19th century, the enamelled and brass Roman numeral dial signed 'Martinot a Paris' in a glazed case of typical form, inlaid throughout with cut brass on the simulated tortoiseshell ground and with various brass mounts including a figure of a winged putto holding a scythe to the top and an allegorical female figure to the front, the bracket conforming, the clock 35.43 in. high, 15.75 in. wide, 5.91 in. deep, the bracket: 12.60 in. high, 17.32 in. wide, 9.84 in. deep
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- Putto / Putti / Amorino / Amorini - A putto (plural: putti) or amerino (plural: amerini) is a cherub or cupid frequently appearing in both mythological and religious paintings and sculpture, especially of the Renaissance and Baroque periods and later used as a decorative element in the design of furniture, ceramics, statuary etc. They are usually depicted as chubby males, or of indeterminate gender, often with wings. Their depiction may represent an association with love, heaven, peace or prosperity.
- Louis Xiv - Louis XIV (1638 – 1715), known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, ruled through Cardinal Mazarin as chief minister from 1643 to 1661 and as monarch of the House of Bourbon and King of France and Navarre from 1661 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years is one of the longest in French and European history.
- Tortoiseshell - Tortoiseshell is a translucent material that comes from the horny carapace of a certain types of turtles, including the hawksbill turtle. It is often therefore mounted on a colour underground - often red - or inlaid with gold or silver thread, as seen in Boulle furniture.
The texture and colour nuances of the material are extremely important. Heated tortoiseshell can easily be formed into various shapes. Like other natural materials, tortoiseshell becomes more beautiful with use. In a time before plastic, tortoiseshell was widely used for small objects such as combs and powder compacts.
In 1973, the trade of tortoiseshell worldwide was banned under CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). Prior to importing or exporting items containing tortoiseshell a CITES permit must be obtained. Tortoiseshell items cannot be traded on Ebay.
"Faux tortoiseshell", another case of man initiating nature, is made from old-style plastics such as celluloid and cellulos and is coloured with red, yellow and brown spots to imitate the genuine article. It is commonly used in glasses frames, musical instruments and costume jewellery.
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