Precious Time: A Cabinet Clock from Augsburg, 1700-1725

Cabinet Clock
1700-1725
Augsburg (Made)
Meissen (Tea Set, Made)
This and all related images courtesy of
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This artful arrangement of wood, boulle marquetry, tortoiseshell, silver, silver-gilt, inlaid mother-of-pearl, ivory, enamel, brass, pietre dure, faceted garnets, turquoise, micromosaic, velvet, porcelain, mirrored glass, gilt bronze, and oil paint on copper sheeting makes for one very involved, brilliant timepiece.


This monumental cabinet clock comes from Augsburg. Both Augsburg and Nuremberg were hubs of important clock making from the 1650 through 1750. Master craftsmen from a variety of media would join forces to create majestic and unusual cases for the clock. This, surely, is one of the finest examples of their capabilities.

Truly extraordinary, this cabinet clock is comprises of nearly twenty costly different materials. Coupled with the high cost of labor for such a piece, surely this was a royal or, at least, noble commission. We don’t know for whom the clock was originally produced, however, the curators at the V&A have determined that this was the same clock that once belonged to Lord Rosebery, British Prime Minister from 1894-5, as evidenced by photographs of the Lord from that time period (see the black and white picture detail below).

Though the clock is certainly interesting in all that’s apparent, from the little Buddha figures to the impressive inlay-work, it also contains some hidden treasures which aren’t immediately seen. For example, a neatly in-set drawer contains a Meissen tea set in a pattern which matches the clock as well as a silver picture frame.

This was a gift to the V&A from Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde—two of the world's foremost decorative arts collectors, and was included in their 1996 bequest of silver, mosaics, enameled portrait miniatures and gold boxes.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Caroline of Naples Tiara, 1808

The Caroline of Naples Tiara
Italy, 1808
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This gold tiara set with four lapis lazuli plaques inset with shells and pearls in pietre dure mosaic is believed to have belonged to Caroline Murat (1782-1839), Queen of Naples. Part of an impressive parure, the tiara shows the fine workmanship of its maker, Real Laboratorio of Naples, known for impressive suites of jewelry such as this. The parure is still kept in its original leather box which is stamped with a crowned “C” in gold. 

Some historians contend that the pietre dire panels were produced by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence while the gold work was finished in Naples. The Grand Ducal Workshop, Opificio delle Pietre Dure, was founded in 1588 and still operates today under the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage.

The suite consists of a matching necklace, earrings and comb in addition to the magnificent tiara.

Her Majesty’s Furniture: A Magnificent Jewel Casket, 1750

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click image for larger size.

Jewel Casket
Florence
1720
The Royal Collection

Made in 1720 in the Grand Ducal Workshops of Florence by Giovanni Battista Foggini, this amazing jewel casket of Ebony, rosewood, hardstones, and gilt bronze came to the Royal Collection through unknown circumstances, possibly as early as the late Eighteenth Century, but probably via Queen Mary. With its intricate mosaic and ornate ormolu, this casket was the epitome of Florentine style.

Though assigned a practical use (holding jewels), the casket is now as valuable as the objects it once held.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click image for larger size.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click image for larger size.

The carved gilt wood stand with cabriole legs terminating in lions' paw feet is joined near the bottom by an X-shaped stretcher with a pine-cone finial  with rocaille motifs.  It is original to the piece.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click image for larger size.

Masterpiece of the Week: A Mosaic of Nicholas I, Czar of Russia, 1828

Tsar Nicholas I
Glass Mosaic, c. 1828
Michelangelo Barberi
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Composed of glass tesserae, this bust portrait depicts Nicholas I, Czar of Russia in military uniform.  This mosaic was made in the traditional Italian style in Rome around 1828 by Michelangelo Barberi (1787-1867).  

Gifts of Grandeur: The Grand Duchess Olga Gold Casket, 1800-1850

Gilt Bronze and Micromosaic Jewel Casket
St. Petersburg, 1800-1850
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Collection

Tsar Paul I (reigned 1796-1801) built Gatchina Priory, south of St. Petersburg, commissioning the monumental structure in the Gothic style which he favored. This jewel casket exhibits a similar style. It’s believed that the casket (made either in Rome or St. Petersburg) was created for the Grand Duchess Olga (1822-92), the daughter of Tsar Nicholas I.

The casket is constructed of gilt bronze with relief friezes of intricate archways, each interrupted by a central oval. Many of the oval medallions have been inset with micromosaics of putti in the act of play. The jewel case’s top section is adorned with a relief of arcs, arches and fleurs-de-lis set against foliage. At the center of the lid, a rectangular mosaic has been set. This intricate scene depicts the Gatchina Priory nestled into a lush landscape.

Made between 1800 and 1850, the casket is thought to be the work of Georgi Ferdinand Wekler, considered one of the foremost mosaicists of his day. The box is now part of the Gilbert Collection at the V&A.

Precious Time: A French Ebony, Glass and Ormolu Cabinet Clock, 1650-1824

Cabinet Clock
Mosaics by Gobelins 1650-1700
Case by Robert Hume, 1824
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This clock and cabinet is a marriage of almost two hundred years worth of parts. The ornate cabinet was made by Robert Hume in London in 1824. This architecturally grand cabinet is set with mosaics which were made in Paris between 1650-1700 in the Gobelins workshops.

The unfortunately named Gobelins was officially called, “The Manufacture des Gobelins” and was not in the business of manufacturing goblins, but rather, was a dye works founded in the mid-Fifteenth Century by Jean Gobelin.

In 1662, French King Louis XIV purchased the Gobelins Factory, as one does. Under new direction, a series of Royal artisans were joined together. Therein, a new royal tapestry and furniture works was established.

By the Nineteenth Century, works by Gobelins were falling out of style as a whole, but individual components of some pieces were still quite in vogue, and, therefore stripped and reused. Such is the case of the mosaics in this clock which were made by Florentine craftsmen working at the Gobelins . The main recycled items are the six rectangular panels of flowers and birds which are quintessentially late Seventeenth Century in style. These six panels were reset by Robert Hume in England as he designed this clock cabinet for Hamilton Palace--the Lanarkshire home of Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton.

I’m unable to find any explanation of the ornamental ormolu pieces which sit atop the cabinet. These, obviously, are removable. I suppose they can be added to give the clock case a little extra flare. After all, it’s so plain without them.

Mastery of Design: An Impressive Reversible Mosaic Necklace, 1850

Necklace
Uppermost Face
Micromosaic Glass, Gold, Silver, Copper
Italian, 1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This impressive parure, consisting of a necklace, bracelet and earrings, truly is the definition of “mastery of design.” It has the unusual property of being reversible, per each individual section. Each of the micromosaic panels is double-sided. The wearer had the option of displaying scenes of monuments of Rome or images of figures in regional costume, or a combination of the two.


Each panel is comprised of the smallest glass pieces--containing more than 5000 pieces per square inch. The panels are set in silver held together by gold links and backed in a copper alloy. The work of an unknown jeweler, this magnificent suite is surely from Rome.

Reverse

The Suite

Precious Time: A Mosaic Cabinet and Clock, circa 1700

Mosaic Cabinet and Clock
1700-1850
Giovanni Battista Foggini
Italian with a German clockworks.
pietre dure (hardstone mosaic), ebony, gilded bronze,
brass, mother-of-pearl and ebonized wood
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Isn’t this gorgeous? This cabinet and clock was over one hundred years in the making and represents the work of several different artists. The bottom part of the cabinet dates to 1700-1705 and is constructed of pietre dure (hardstone mosaic), ebony, gilded bronze, brass, mother-of-pearl and ebonized wood. The central mosaic panel is not the original decoration, but rather an addition from the Nineteenth Century. Looking closely at the pietre dure central panel, we can see that it was originally intended to be a tray. The composition which features a mosaic of a string of pearls was designed to be viewed from above, horizontally, and not vertically as it is positioned here. Nevertheless it is an attractive addition to the original piece.


The initial design is the work of Giovanni Battista Foggini of Florence. Foggini created this cabinet for Anna-Maria Luisa de' Medici. In the late Seventeenth Century, the top portion and clock were added. Crafted of the same materials and in a similar style, the top half is the work is almost as old as the original portion—having been added many years after its initial creation.

The present clock is a replacement for the mid-Eighteenth Century English clock which had been built into the cabinet. The second clock is German in origin and was added in the mid Nineteenth Century. At the same time, the central panel on the bottom portion of the cabinet was replaced with the one we see today.

Having been lost from the de’ Medici home, this beautiful group found its way into a private collection. Its owners have generously loaned it to The Victoria & Albert Museum.

Unusual Artifacts: Return from Market, 1928

Click on image to get snowed.
"Return from Market"
Pietre Dure
Italy, 1928
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This pietre dure (or pietra dura, if you prefer) scene of hardstone and marbles depicts a monk with two elderly men and a young woman. They’re accompanied by a group of animals as they journey home from market in a snowstorm.

Made in 1928 in Florence Italy—long known for its elegant works of pietre dure—the piece shows the enduring beauty of this technique. Each stone has been carefully chosen to create movement and texture in the scene. The veins of the marbles and the crystals of the other hardstones have been set in such a way as to emulate the look of a painter’s brushstrokes.

The work is attributed to Mario Montelatici, a well-known master of pietre dure in his own right and the son of the famed Giovanni Montelatici whose workshop in the Via Amolfo in Florence produced many an award-winning work. The piece is composed of white and bardiglio marble, onyx, gabbro and albarese. It is set in a gilt wood frame.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Grand Duchess Olga Gold Casket, 1800-1850

Gilt Bronze and Micromosaic Jewel Casket
St. Petersburg, 1800-1850
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Collection

Tsar Paul I (reigned 1796-1801) built Gatchina Priory, south of St. Petersburg, commissioning the monumental structure in the Gothic style which he favored. This jewel casket exhibits a similar style. It’s believed that the casket (made either in Rome or St. Petersburg) was created for the Grand Duchess Olga (1822-92), the daughter of Tsar Nicholas I.

The casket is constructed of gilt bronze with relief friezes of intricate archways, each interrupted by a central oval. Many of the oval medallions have been inset with micromosaics of putti in the act of play. The jewel case’s top section is adorned with a relief of arcs, arches and fleurs-de-lis set against foliage. At the center of the lid, a rectangular mosaic has been set. This intricate scene depicts the Gatchina Priory nestled into a lush landscape.

Made between 1800 and 1850, the casket is thought to be the work of Georgi Ferdinand Wekler, considered one of the foremost mosaicists of his day. The box is now part of the Gilbert Collection at the V&A.

Precious Time: A Cabinet Clock from Augsburg, 1700-1725

Cabinet Clock
1700-1725
Augsburg (Made)
Meissen (Tea Set, Made)
This and all related images courtesy of
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This artful arrangement of wood, boulle marquetry, tortoiseshell, silver, silver-gilt, inlaid mother-of-pearl, ivory, enamel, brass, pietre dure, faceted garnets, turquoise, micromosaic, velvet, porcelain, mirrored glass, gilt bronze, and oil paint on copper sheeting makes for one very involved, brilliant timepiece.


This monumental cabinet clock comes from Augsburg. Both Augsburg and Nuremberg were hubs of important clock making from the 1650 through 1750. Master craftsmen from a variety of media would join forces to create majestic and unusual cases for the clock. This, surely, is one of the finest examples of their capabilities.

Truly extraordinary, this cabinet clock is comprises of nearly twenty costly different materials. Coupled with the high cost of labor for such a piece, surely this was a royal or, at least, noble commission. We don’t know for whom the clock was originally produced, however, the curators at the V&A have determined that this was the same clock that once belonged to Lord Rosebery, British Prime Minister from 1894-5, as evidenced by photographs of the Lord from that time period (see the black and white picture detail below).

Though the clock is certainly interesting in all that’s apparent, from the little Buddha figures to the impressive inlay-work, it also contains some hidden treasures which aren’t immediately seen. For example, a neatly in-set drawer contains a Meissen tea set in a pattern which matches the clock as well as a silver picture frame.

This was a gift to the V&A from Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde—two of the world's foremost decorative arts collectors, and was included in their 1996 bequest of silver, mosaics, enameled portrait miniatures and gold boxes.