Fine and Early Ormolu Clock by Raingo Freres ~ French - Circa 1830 ~ ~~ Excellent condition, fully overhauled ~~ A fine and early Ormolu (mercury fire gilded bronze) by the renowned Clockmaker and Bronze Founder Raingo Freres. The gilding is in exceptional condition, we have carefully removed years of grime to reveal the original fire gilding in glorious untouched condition, beautifully matted with highlights finely polished.

The clock is Rococo in style, decorated profusely with finely modeled foliage and floral swags. It sits upon a heavy integral base on two sweeping 'C' scroll brackets. A niche below the dial houses of scene of two boys tussling over a birds nest. Behind the niche is a fretted panel to allow a glimpse of the pendulum gently swinging behind. The clock is modelled in the round, it would display very nicely in the centre of a room or in front of a mirror. 

The dial is also ormolu with 12 individual enamel cartouches and blued steel hands. To the bottom of the dial is the Raingo Freres signature. the hand fretted and blued steel hands are original. Please note that this type of clock does not have a glass bezel or a rear door. Unusually, the case is marked with the movement serial number, confirming originality.

Zacharie Raingo was apprenticed in Paris in 1790 and went on to establish Raingo Freres in 1813. Initially specialising in precision astronomical clocks and then after 1825 clocks and bronzes. Clients included the Emperor and Empress. The firm exhibited at many of the important exhibitions of the second half of the 19th century and was known for the fine quality of its ormolu.

The French movement is by Raingo Freres and is of high quality. It is the early version of the Pendule de Paris movement with silk suspension. It is in excellent clean and running condition having been fully overhauled by our clockmaker. Pendulum is an old replacement. It runs for 8 days and strikes the hours and halves on a bell. Click the video clip below to hear the bell and watch the clock running!

Condition of the case is excellent, the original gilding is superb, clean and bright with hardly any wear or discolouration and there are no losses. The dial is also in excellent condition with no damage. A superb early clock in exceptional condition to add to your collection. 

 
Raingo Freres mark on the movement backplate and the signature on the dial.

Complete with pendulum, bell and a suitable key. Full setting up instructions supplied if required.

Click the movie player below to see the this actual clock run -
(large file, may take a moment to start).