Antique Chinoiserie cold painted ormolu matched clock set

This matched set is comprised of a mantel clock and a pair of flanking candelabra. The items have been crafted from ormolu (gilt bronze) and beautifully decorated with cold-painted designs.

The mantel clock takes the form of a Chinese pagoda which is set on a rectangular plinth. The lower section of the clock features a central niche, which contains a sculpture of a Chinese male warrior holding a bow in one hand. The niche is flanked by a pair of Corinthian pilasters, which are topped by shaped pinnacles. The niche is surmounted by a cuboid clock case with a circular dial at its centre. This dial features black Roman Numerals and it is set within a milled bezel. Engaged Doric columns stand either side of the dial and support a pointed two-tiered roof, crowned by a banner finial. The mantel clock has been finely painted with colourful depictions of urns, dragonflies and birds, as well as serpentine patterns and foliate motifs.

The candelabra that accompany the clock are of similar design. These feature full-length Chinese figures, which stand on baluster-shaped plinths, set on hexagonal bases. The plinths are elaborately decorated with scrollwork, flowers, foliage and dragonflies, and their tops are fringed. One plinth is topped by a sculpture of a Chinese man wearing traditional dress and holding a bird in his left hand. The second plinth is surmounted by a Chinese woman clasping a bunch of flowers in one hand. These figures hold four-light candelabra. Each candelabrum features three scrolled arms decorated with stylised anthemions and one central arm, which is fringed with patinated bronze bells. The candelabra arms terminate in ball-shaped capitals with guilloche-patterned sconces. Like the clock, sections of the candelabra are highlighted with colourful paint.

Clock: Height 41cm, width 16cm, depth 10cm
Candelabra: Height 50cm, width 18cm, depth 13cm