A PAIR OF EMPIRE ORMOLU MARTIAL TROPHY CHENETS

Claude-François Rabiat (d. 1815) was apprenticed to Etienne Vignerelle in 1769 and established as maître in 1778. He regularly provided a variety of clocks and candelabra to other accomplished bronziers and horlogers including Thomire, Feuchère and Claude Galle. These chenets are very closely related to a design attributed to Thomire with an additional flaming orb and a lion's mask to the front mount, circa 1817 (H. Ottomeyer & P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. I, p. 340, fig. 5.4.2.).