Precious Time: An Exceptional Biscuit and Bronze Clock, 1789

Temple-form Mantel Clock
Benjamin Vulliamy
Commissioned by Queen Charlotte
1789-90
The Royal Collection

In the late Eighteenth Century, a friendly rivalry arose between French and English makers of porcelain figures. English craftsmen began to create biscuit (parian) figures that rivaled those of French makers. One of the main proponents of this new effort was Benjamin Vulliamy, clockmaker to King George III, who employed the finest sculptors in creating exceptional clock cases which featured high quality biscuit figures.


Pleased with Vulliamy’s efforts, George III’s wife, Queen Charlotte, commissioned this clock case in the Neoclassical style which was popular at the time. The temple-form clock case features a figure of Euterpe—the Muse of Lyric Poetry. Surmounted by a delicately enameled clock face, the entire piece is supported by biscuit columns with gilt bronze capitals and adorned with finely turned finials.