Popping into my favourite antiquities place looking for anything of interest (no telephones to be found except for a grey S63), I spotted this very handsome clock with it's two matching Garniture (often simply called candelabra).
Made of marble and brass, both Garniture still have their candle snuffers to top, which is nice as they are often missing. The clock has it's original key, and even works nicely, including the chimes. I doubt the mechanism has been cleaned recently (maybe never) but I am fine with that until I can find a good artisan to entrust it to. No damage to any of the three pieces, a lucky find for €50 ($57).
I have researched the clock a little and it has a good age. Made by JAPY Brothers, Paris, France, it's medallion and serial number stamped into the mechanism cover dates it sometime between 1867 and 1873, making this trio a minimum of 149 years old.
They will reside in the new phone room on a marble mantelpiece in front of a large old French mirror (found a while back in the same store), just as they were intended to do when made during the century before last. :)
Images show as found.
Awesome! Great looking trio. Please keep us updated with the restoration and the final correct display setup.
Congrats!
Cleaned up and candles inserted.
I thought this phone matched in nicely with the gold.
:)
that telephone looks like one we assembled at COT
Quote from: rdelius on April 19, 2022, 04:26:25 PMthat telephone looks like one we assembled at COT
I believe it was.
Some of the phones in our collections certainly travel the miles. :)
Discussed here (reply 55 onwards):
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20702.45