Beschreibung:

A RARE IMPERIAL CHINESE ORMOLU, WHITE MARBLE AND PASTE-SET QUARTER-STRIKING 'DOUBLE-GOURD' CLOCK WITH SWINGING DIAL
A RARE IMPERIAL CHINESE ORMOLU, WHITE MARBLE AND PASTE-SET QUARTER-STRIKING 'DOUBLE-GOURD' CLOCK WITH SWINGING DIAL GUANGZHOU WORKSHOPS. QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795), LATE 18TH CENTURY CASE : the clock swinging within an ormolu double-gourd framework embellished with brilliant turquoise glass square-cut paste gems within an inner beaded border and an outer leafy border, the rear with matted decoration, the lower circular section accommodating the clock, suspended from above with a vertical bar, decorated with blue, red and white oval-cut paste gems, centred by a circular medallion, delicately enamelled with fine metal foils of gold, green and red to depict a basket of flowers on a royal blue guilloché enamel ground, encircled by a border of circular red paste gems, the neck of the double-gourd surmounted by a gilt-metal mount representing an upside-down bat, its intricate stylised wings outstretched below a pineapple finial, the whole structure raised on an elliptic-form ormolu mount of overlapping acanthus leaves, supported on a stepped oval-section marble base, its polished spreading waist neatly fitted with an openwork chased ormolu floral-scroll mount extending all around, above a stepped foot with beadwork gallery, set onto lappeted oval plinth on a stepped rectangular later zitan stand DIAL : with bezel of red, white, turquoise blue and yellow faceted paste gems and with ormolu beaded inner ring, the white enamel dial with crossed minute track, Roman hour chapters and Arabic quarters, pierced ormolu hour and minute hands and blued steel seconds hand MOVEMENT : with knife-edge suspension to the top of the frame, gilded circular plates joined by five gilded cylindrical pillars, twin going barrels with rear wind, the anchor escapement with steel escape wheel positioned on the back plate, quarter-striking on single bell with two hammers, the back plate with engraved border and inscribed with a 'nonsense' signature Lululi between floral sprigs; the rear of the case with two adjustable screws and a steel cross-bar made as if to secure the movement 26¾ in. (68.5 cm.) high x 14 in. (35.5 cm.) wide x 9½ in. (24 cm.) deep, overall; 22¾ in. (57.5 cm.) high x 6½ in. (16.5 cm.) wide x 4 1/3 in. (11 cm.) deep, the clock