c.1840 French Animated Conjuror Clock.

Case

The extremely well-cast and finished ormolu and patinated bronze case has elaborate mounts that include feeding birds amongst scrolling foliage to the front corners, a two piece decorative scalloped molding, winged dragons flanking a grotesque mask below and above an oriental magician in traditional garb standing behind a table draped with a fringed carpet and adorned with decorative 6 pointed stars. The polished side of the case is stamped by the bronzer, 'L. Hennert'.

Dial

The engraved silvered dial has Roman numerals for the hours, a sunken center, steel-cut Breguet-style hands and a decorative ormolu bezel with intertwined snakes above and a winged dragon below. It is stamped on the backside ‘3532’.

Movement

The eight-day time and strike movement has a silk-thread suspension with the fast/slow out the front, a lift-arm off the backplate to activate the animation above and is stamped, '3532, 206’   The animation movement is mounted above under the table and has thick plates, well-cut and finished wheel-work and is wound and manually activated off the backplate. The small cylinders that carry the items used in the ball and cup trick sit in a revolving brass wheel. When the movement is activated, either at the hour by the clock or manually, the wheel rotates 180 degrees stopping at each notch to allow the items to be raised into position and then lowered again. The front plate is stamped ‘3532’.