Horas Non Numero Nisi Serenas

Horas Non Numero Nisi Serenas. Gübelin, Lucerne. No. 22656, enamel painted by Richay. Made circa 1920. Exceptionally fine, heavy, probably unique painted on enamel, brown marble and gilt bronze, 8-day going desk clock. Two panels of a triptych, very finely painted on enamel in the Limoges style, the right one depicting a lady in medieval dress standing against a starry sky, to the left a scholar pointing to a bird, on the inside to the left a prince standing against a starry night with moon, to the right a man in the countryside on a sunny day mounted on a rectangular marble base and top. In the center of the triptych, painted on enamel in the Limoges style, three ladies in medieval dress,one holding a falcon, one with a dog and a third holding an apple, white Roman numerals. Elaborate gilt hands. Notes These particular models of painted enamel clocks represented the best examples that could be offered at the time. Not only did the manufacture (probably Juvenia) take the time to make sure that each of the panels were decorated to the inside, they decorated the outside panels as well. This is only the second clock of its kind to appear at auction (the last one was sold by Antiquorum, Lot 154, November 11, 2004 Geneva) and may indicate that these were made either for a special exhibition or on special order only.