A FRENCH POLYCHROME-PATINATED BRONZE, BRASS AND ONYX AUTOMATON TIMEPIECE

The present lot celebrates a long horological tradition of 'industrial clocks' which were prevalent during the latter half of the 19th century and embraced the forms of battleships, locomotives and other innovations in engineering. The whimsical form reflects an earnest fascination with technological advancement, which was shared among France's burgeoning middle-class who flocked to witness marvels of machinery at the great international exhibitions of the 19th century. The iron-clad form in particular was introduced with the French navy's launch of La Gloire in 1859 and was followed by British and U.S. comparables in the 1870s and 1880s.

Comparable models of this clock were sold at Sotheby's, New York, 27 October 1998, lot 60 ($21,850) and Sotheby's, New York, Masterpieces from the Time Museum, 13 October 2004, lot 608 ($84,000).