Beschreibung:

A FINE ENGLISH ORMOLU, VERRE EGLOMISÉ MOUNTED AND PASTE-SET MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON 'TROPICAL LANDSCAPES' CABINET CLOCK
A FINE ENGLISH ORMOLU, VERRE EGLOMISÉ MOUNTED AND PASTE-SET MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON 'TROPICAL LANDSCAPES' CABINET CLOCK THOMAS BARNARD, LONDON. GEORGE III PERIOD (1760-1820), LATE 18TH CENTURY CASE: modelled in four tiers; The base section with acanthus-cast gallery supported on four foliate cast scroll and shell feet, with ormolu beaded mounts to all sides, framing the black, crimson and gilt verre eglomisé panels which border the automata scenes also mounted to each side (see below); The cabinet section supported on the backs of standing lions which flank silk-backed pierced ormolu sound frets to all sides, above them to the front two verre eglomisé doors open to reveal mirror backs and an interior of four replaced glass-fronted copper drawers, to the sides further panels of verre eglomisé depict birds and to the rear another shows a dog attacking a swan; The clock section with small foliate cast finials to the four corners, with further stepped plinth up to four engine-turned ormolu columns with Corinthian capitals, these flanking the clock dial to the front and further verre eglomisé panels to the sides and rear, the latter depicting a cottage amidst woods, with paper inventory label 11 also to the rear; The cupola section above a pierced later gallery with columns matching those below and supporting a domed roof applied with crescent moon and star mounts, above a cluster of spiral-twist glass rods simulating a waterfall, surmounted by a post of three conjoined balls which supports the automaton crescent moon finial DIAL: with red, white and green paste-set hinged bezel to convex glass, white enamel Roman and Arabic dial, blued steel hour and minute hands and gilt-brass seconds hand AUTOMATA: at will only, by pulling a button to the left base panel; to the front a glazed panel reveals tropical animals parading in a circle against a background painted with a European house in a wooded landscape, framed at the front by a cut out of painted foliage; to the right side a glazed panel is laid on a cut and painted metal scene decorated with tropical foliage and exotic animals, and behind it two tiers of spiral-twist glass rods forming automaton waterfalls; to the left side a glazed panel is laid on cut and painted metal foliage and trees and reveals a painted backdrop with an aperture showing spiral-twist glass rods forming an automaton waterfall, a further aperture showing a single glass rod depicting water flowing to the waterfall, whilst to the fore a waterwheel revolves and swans swim past between glass rods simulating water; to the rear a glazed panel is laid on a cut and painted scene depicting a house to one side and foliage to the other, framing a background painted with ships in a small harbour (formerly with automaton ships moving between glass rods simulating water) ; to the top a cluster of spiral-twist glass rods simulate a waterfall and above this the crescent finial revolves; all this while music plays WATCH MOVEMENT: of pocket watch type and with circular glass plates, hinged to open through the front of the case, with single chain and fusee and verge escapement, pierced and engraved cock, silvered regulation disc, signed Barnard/LONDON MUSICAL AUTOMATA MOVEMENT: housed in the base and wound through the rear, single chain and fusee, playing two tunes via pin barrel with eight bells and eight hammers, the tunes changed with a button to the rear, the unusual system moving the bells and hammers rather than the barrel, with gearing to the various automata (lacking connection to rear automata) 33½ in. (85 cm.) high x 17 in. (43.5 cm.) wide x 15¼ in. (38.5 cm.) deep