Lot 278

French, Movement No. 2066, Height 275 mm, circa 1880
A rare, large table clock in the shape of a mosque with half hour / hour self strike - for the Ottoman market
Case: gilt and silvered brass, facet glazed front. Dial: silvered. Movm.: rectangular-shaped brass movement, keywind, 1 hammer / 1 gong, 8-day power reserve, platform with lever escapement, screw compensation balance.
The case of the clock uses several components that are based on the structural concept of classic mosque architecture. The dome – the qubba in Arabic – is a significant element representing the vault of heaven. Each of the four corners of the clock has an ornate spiral-twist column and each side has a niche that symbolises the mihrab, a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla – the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca. The base of the clock is decorated with a frieze of lavish fretwork ornamentation showing mounted warriors, foliage, flowers and birds. The clock dates from the late 19th century and is a fine example of the Ottoman influence in Europe; the presence of the Ottoman Empire in Europe over the centuries is frequently highlighted in architecture, music and the arts. There was a constant exchange of cultural, technological and intellectual experiences between the two worlds that was furthered by the many craftsmen, artists, architects and merchants who lived and worked in the Ottoman Empire.

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