A mother-of-pearl and rock crystal mystery clock, so called for its hidden mechanisms by Maurice Coüet, created in Paris for Black, Starr & Frost in New York in 1930. A rectangular mother-of-pearl frame is inlaid with lapis lazuli birds, turquoise foliage and gold branches with leaves, which surround a bevelled rock crystal square clock face with dimond-encrusted hands and numerals. The rectangular frame is surrounded with lapis lazuli volute shapes inlaid with emeralds which appear to grow from each side and the top, with the two side pieces attached to two crystal arches which reach the base in a spherical ring encrusted with diamonds. The clock and the volute frame rests on a rectangular onyx base, with a mother of pearl inlet inlaid with two lapis lazuli birds sitting on a golden branch with leaves on the front, the base sits on four lapis lazuli cuboid feet.

See more objects with the tag timekeeping, luxury, color, craftsmanship.

Object Timeline

	We acquired this object.
1925	Work on this object began.
1935	Work on this object ended.
2017	We photographed this object. We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Mystery Clock, ca. 1930

This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from Anonymous as part of The Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s.

It is dated ca. 1930. Its medium is rock crystal, diamonds, mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli, gold, turquoise, onyx, emeralds, platinum.

These clocks were almost certainly created in Paris around 1930 for Black, Starr & Frost in New York. However, the firm’s commissioning of them may have been too close to the Crash of 1929 to ensure strong sales. They remained objects of admiration when examples appeared as part of a group of clocks in the firm’s display at the 1939 world’s fair in New York. This clock shows the impact of Cartier’s “Mystery” clocks, with special hidden mechanisms created by Maurice Coüet. Others used rock crystal, seen here mixed with hardstones that mosaicist Vladimir Makovsky favored for his box tops and clocks.

It is credited Lent by Siegelson, New York.

Clock, Lotus and Koi Pond
rock crystal, mother-of-pearl, abalone, gold, hardstone, coral, jade,....
Siegelson, New York.
61.2016.3

Chinoiserie Clock
mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli, nephrite, abalone, diamonds, platinum,....
Lent by Siegelson, New York.
61.2016.4

Tree of Knowledge Clock
mother-of-pearl, diamonds, enamel, malachite, lapis lazuli, rock crystal,....
Lent by Siegelson, New York.
61.2016.7

Our curators have highlighted 1 object that are related to this one.

A small rectangular vanity case, in a horizontal orientation with thick beveled sides of lapis lazuli provides the canvas for an ornate blue and back enamel and gold design adorned by an encrusted clasp of jewels. A gold border surrounds the top while a thicker gold border with a repeated gold scalloped pattern occupies the uppermost part with a small area draped on both upper sides. A blue enamel inverted stepped pyramid design outlined in gold rests beneath. The clasp below consists of an original floral symmetrical design encrusted with a large centered faceted triangular diamond, two abstract geometric emeralds on each side, three lozenge shaped rubies atop the triangle and one on each side, flowers embellished with faceted round diamonds throughout, planted in a pot of two emerald-cut diamonds surrounding an emerald of the same cut set horizontally. The connecting side of the clasp has a larger setting for two emerald-cut rubies surrounding an emerald-cut diamond. This beautiful vanity case could easily fit into the palm of your hand while feeling coolness from the lapis lazuli. The photograph captures the object positioned on a diagonal with the right side lower than the left and a cast shadow reflecting the object on a white surface and ground.

Vanity Case, ca. 1925
enamel, lapis lazuli, gold, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, platinum, mirrored....
Lent by Private Collection.
13.2016.35

Its dimensions are

H x W x D: 14.9 × 10.8 × 5.1 cm (5 7/8 in. × 4 1/4 in. × 2 in.)

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition The Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2oaHbM/
Accession Number 61.2016.8
Object ID 907214237