18th-Century Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Urn Mantel Clock by Le Faucheur, Paris

This magnificent Louis XVI period urn-form mantel clock, signed Le Faucheur – A Paris, is an exceptional example of late-18th-century French horology. Crafted circa 1775–1790, the piece is richly adorned in ormolu (gilt bronze)—the preferred material of esteemed bronziers such as Pierre Gouthière, François Rémond, and Pierre-Philippe Thomire, whose work defined luxury during the reign of Louis XVI.

The clock features a classical neo-Greek urn silhouette, accented by sweeping swans-neck handles, laurel wreath motifs, cascading garlands, and an acanthus-crowned finial. The stepped base is heavily decorated with beadwork, fluting, and ribbon-tied foliage typical of the Louis XVI decorative vocabulary. The white enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals is delicately hand-painted and retains its original gilt hands.

Movement appears to be a traditional French spring-driven mechanism, visible through the rear convex glass door. Every detail—from the sculptural mounts to the heavy bronze casting—reflects the refined artistry found in the workshops of Parisian masters during the final decades of the 18th century.

STYLE & ERA

• Style: Louis XVI Neoclassical

• Era: circa 1775–1790

• Influences: Greek & Roman classicism, as popularized by Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and designers such as Robert Adam, Jean-Henri Riesener, and Gouthière

MATERIALS

• Primary: Ormolu (gilt bronze), fire-gilded

• Dial: White enamel

• Movement: Traditional French mechanical movement

• Feet/Base: Solid gilt bronze, cast and hand-chiseled

(No wood appears present in the construction—this is a full bronze piece.)

MEASUREMENTS

Measurements inferred from typical urn clocks of this form:

• Height: ~15– in

• Width: ~10– in

• Depth: ~6– in

(If you want, I can refine these precisely if you provide a photo with a ruler or known object for scale.)

CHARACTERISTICS & NOTES

• Urn-shaped case in high-quality fire-gilded bronze

• Finely chased neoclassical decoration

• Hand-painted enamel dial signed Le Faucheur

• Original movement visible through rear glass

• Egg-and-dart, acanthus, garland, and laurel wreath motifs

• Stands on four ribbed bun feet

• Excellent example of Parisian luxury craftsmanship

• ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS 

  • The gilding shows beautiful aging consistent with 18th-century ormolu.

  • The delicate finial and laurel swags indicate high-level workshop production.

  • The dial typography and layout match late-Louis XVI standards around 1780.

  • The case proportions and detailing strongly resemble pieces commissioned for aristocratic residences.

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  STORY 

  Imagine this clock resting on the marble mantel of a Parisian townhouse during the last years of the 18th century—a time of refined taste, intellectual salons, and the height of French decorative arts. Crafted in a master bronzier’s workshop, it would have been made for a wealthy patron who sought not only precision timekeeping but a symbol of sophistication.

  As the years passed, this clock may have witnessed revolutions, restorations, and generations of families who cherished it as a symbol of continuity. Its gilded surface, aged to a warm glow, tells the story of the artisans who shaped it with their chisels and fire. Today, it stands not merely as a timepiece, but as a surviving masterpiece of Louis XVI elegance—a rare object that brings the grace, symmetry, and intellect of the Enlightenment into the modern home.