Table Sign in Gilded Bronze and Cloisonné Enamel, Attributed to Constant Sevin

Table clock in cloisonné enamel and gilded bronze. Attributed to Constant SEVIN.

Mounted on a square base, a case—with fluted sides and polychrome cloisonné enamel decoration in recesses on the front and back—supports the movement with a circular suspension.

The dial consists of enameled cartouches displaying the hours in Roman numerals.
Rich decoration of garlands and volutes in gilded, chiseled bronze.
In perfect working condition.

The son of itinerant artists, Louis-Constant Sévin (1821–1888) became, in the second half of the 19th century, a preeminent ornamental artist and a central figure in the decorative arts. Although inextricably linked to the Barbedienne House, he nevertheless provided designs to numerous manufacturers for all types of objects: silverware, cabinetry, mirrors, caskets, lamps, fireplaces, vases, and clocks.

Constant Sévin distinguished himself through his extensive knowledge of ornamental motifs from a wide variety of traditions,
particularly those of the East. Able to create original works grounded in genuine historical scholarship, his pieces were highly admired. “His works,” wrote Victor Champier in 1888, “imbued with exquisite elegance, are almost all marvels that future connoisseurs will undoubtedly snap up at the price of gold and that will stand the test of time.”

Their first major success came at the 1862 World’s Fair, where Sévin was personally honored for his enamel designs. Indeed, the revelation of the Exposition was Constant Sévin’s cloisonné and champlevé enamel designs, which drew inspiration from ancient Oriental and Greek motifs.
Together with Barbedienne, he designed exceptional pieces for royal households, including those of the King of the Netherlands, the King of the Belgians, the Queen of England, the Kremlin, and Madame de Païva.

Constant Sévin, who died in 1888, was honored at the 1889 World’s Fair, where several of his works were once again on display.

Ref: 05S2SWB9B7