Beschreibung:

A MAGNIFICENT IMPERIAL CHINESE ORMOLU, SILVER-PLATED, ENAMEL, PASTE-SET AND CARVED SOAPSTONE STRIKING, MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON 'ELEPHANT' CLOCK
A MAGNIFICENT IMPERIAL CHINESE ORMOLU, SILVER-PLATED, ENAMEL, PASTE-SET AND CARVED SOAPSTONE STRIKING, MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON 'ELEPHANT' CLOCK GUANGZHOU WORKSHOPS. QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795), LATE 18TH CENTURY CASE : modelled in three tiers: The base section with a foliate cast plinth raised on scroll feet and set with multi-coloured paste gems, with a gadroon moulding above, decorated to all sides with red and green floral enamels and gold foils on a translucent blue basse-taille enamelled ground, the front set with the dial and flanked by multi-coloured paste-set and mirror-backed automaton catherine-wheels, the sides with pierced automaton panels painted with trees and flowers against a backdrop of automaton waterfalls (see below), the rear with three silk-backed pierced and engraved ormolu circular panels and applied with a paper inventory label 10 ; The middle section with a paste-set balustraded gallery with eight small vases to the angles, with panels of foil-backed green glass mounted with foliate appliqués set with further paste gems, its upper level with a further paste-set balustrade and naturalistically modelled repoussé silver platform, the four corners mounted with paste-set whirligigs; The upper section formed by a caparisoned soapstone elephant embellished with a paste inset foliate and floral-chased saddle, bridle and body-straps, supporting in turn a blue enamel baluster vase decorated with cloisonné enamel bands around the neck and base, the vase surmounted by a paste-set whirligig and fronted by a mirror-backed automaton paste-set flowerhead, its rear with a silk-backed pierced and engraved circular panel DIAL : with red paste-set hinged bezel and convex glass to replacement paper dial with Roman and Arabic chapters and ormolu arrow hands AUTOMATA: hourly, or by pulling a later cord to the underside of the case, the two catherine-wheels revolve, spiral-twist glass rods to the side panels turn to simulate falling water, the five whirligigs spin and the flowerhead to the front of the vase revolves; all while music plays CLOCK AND MUSICAL AUTOMATA MOVEMENT : with rectangular plates, triple chain fusees with knife-edge suspended verge escapement, hour strike on one bell and hourly music via pinned barrel on a nest of eight bells with twelve hammers, with four tunes selected by an arbor to the rear and with gearing to the automata above 29 in. (73.5 cm.) high x 14¼ in. (36 cm.) wide x 10¼ in. (26 cm.) deep