Important South African & International Art, Decorative Arts & Jewellery
Live Auction, 14 March 2016
Session 2
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
About this Item
A Dutch burr-walnut-veneered longcase clock with ship's automaton, Johannes du Chesne, Amsterdam, third quarter 18th century
the 35cm dial with engraved border and rococo spandrels, engraved silvered chapter ring with roman and arabic numerals, signed Johannes du Chesne, Amsterdam, foliate pierced hands and alarm disc, subsidiary seconds and apertures for date, day, month, moon phase and automaton in the arch, with ships and mermaids rocking to and fro on a choppy sea before a view of Amsterdam, with connection to the train of the anchor movement, with trip repeating rack Dutch half-hour striking on alternating bells, the burr walnut- veneered case with bell top surmounted by three giltwood figures of angels, moulded break arch cornice, foliate pierced frets above the break arch and centred by a carved bird, the arched shaped trunk door inlaid with a flower-filled urn, with lenticle centred by the figure of Chronos, the bombé base with foliate marquetry inlay, raised on claw and ball feet, inlaid with stringing throughout, 290cm high
Provenance
Formerly the property of Punch and Cynthia Barlow, Vergelegen, Somerset West.
Literature
John Kench. (1990) Cape Dutch Homesteads, Cape Town: Struik. Illustrated in colour on page 138, positioned in the dining-room at Vergelegen.
Graham Viney. (1989) Colonial Houses of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik. Illustrated in colour on page 25, positioned in the dining-room at Vergelegen.