Neo-Renaissance clock in gilt bronze, ivory and... Lot 7

Neo-Renaissance clock in gilt bronze, ivory and white marble. It features a circular ivory dial with radiating canal motifs and rests on a post adorned with a finely carved ivory plaque of a rider in grotesques, flanked by two bronze harpies. The base, decorated with winged sphinxes, is highlighted by a white marble counter base. Boston Chelsea Clock Company movement numbered 145609. Early 20th century work attributed to Edward F. Caldwell & Co (1851 -1914) Height 44 cm - W. 19.5 cm - D. 13.8 cm Edward F. Caldwell & Co. was one of the most important lighting manufacturers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with works much appreciated by critics and tastemakers alike. During this period of dazzling growth in construction, his creations could be found in numerous public buildings, offices and clubs, such as the White House in Washington and the Rockefeller Hotel in New York. Rockefeller Center in New York. Founded in 1895 by Edward F. Caldwell and Victor F. von Lossberg, the company offered a wide variety of products at its peak in the 1920s. It occupied a large complex on West 15th Street that included a drawing and design area, a machine shop, a foundry, an extensive library and even an antiques museum. Caldwell and von Lossberg frequently traveled to Europe to study and import historical artifacts for use as inspiration in their production. They also brought skilled craftsmen from Europe to New York. The company thrived for over forty years, thanks to Caldwell's skill as an artist. Caldwell's skill as an artist and innovative businessman, combined with von Lossberg's design talent and knowledge of European and historical ornament. Beyond lighting, E.F. Caldwell & Co. produced a wide variety of objects and excelled in clock design. The company included a clockmaking department staffed by specialists who assembled the decorative cases and movements, usually supplied by the Clock Company of Chelsea. When the clock was produced, it was often photographed and recorded in the company archives. Today, these photographs form the Edward F. Caldwell & Company collection at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Library. A model close to our own can be seen in a photograph numbered A96224 (Fig.1). Fig 1 - Neo-Renaissance clock photographed and referenced as A96224 in the archives of the Edward F. Caldwell & Company Collection Company