Rhodonite clock by Tiffany

An exceptional Petite Sonnerie carriage clock encased in Rhodonite. The gilt bronze decoration is possibly by Leon Message (1842 – 1901) who was a French sculptor, best known for his sculptural collaboration with François Linke for the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. On the back of the clock placed between laurel leaf ormolu decoration is a ‘Tiffany & Co’ label, showing that this clock would have been retailed by the famous Tiffany & Co. store. Key and movement numbered 6589.

Circa 1890

Rhodonite is a mineral originally found in the Ural Mountains of Russia. It was extensively mined since the 1790s and became a staple of imperial Russian lapidary art.

The tomb of Tsarina Maria Alexandrovna, wife, of Tsar Alexander II, was made of Rhodonite which is in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Petersburg.