Chinoiserie Clock

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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!

Chinoiserie Clock

This is a Chinoiserie Clock.

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 mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli, nephrite, abalone, diamonds, platinum, emeralds, sapphires, agate, glass, gold.

Chinese motifs embellish this elaborate design for a desk clock from around 1930 by Pierre Gravoin for the American firm of Black, Starr & Frost in New York. The intricate mosaic work was likely executed by Vladimir Makovsky.

It is credited Lent by Siegelson, New York.

Clock, Lotus and Koi Pond

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

Tree of Knowledge Clock

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

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.

Mystery Clock, ca. 1930
rock crystal, diamonds, mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli, gold, turquoise, onyx,....
Lent by Siegelson, New York.
61.2016.8

Our curators have highlighted 2 objects 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

The back side of a rectangular picture frame, featuring a complex, delicate inlaid landscape and heavy geometric mounting. The inlaid scene is assembled from a mix of materials: various stones, abalone shell, mother-of-pearl, gold. The scene depicts the view of a formal garden landscape from a raised terrace. The upper two-thirds of the background is clouded sky, in a mix of creamy brown and iridescent shades. The landscape below is in a mix of pale, medium, and dark brown shades. A central, straight pale beige avenue or reflecting pool runs back into the distance. Short paths branch left and right: left to a light brown round pavilion with large arched windows, backed by a dark brown row of trees, and right to a mass of dark brown trees. In the middle ground are two tall trees, filling the frame. To the left is a thin, bare tree with golden branches and small clusters of bright blue-green shell foliage at the very top. A mottled brown-and-teal mass of shell at its base suggests shrubbery. To the right is a fuller tree, with cedar-like foliage made from vivid, iridescent shell in shades of olive, teal, and rose. In the foreground is a terrace railing in pale pinkish brown. Atop a short pillar on the right is a carved blue-green urn. Below, a blanket of red-orange foliage with white blossoms climbs over the low railing. A thin black frame with diamond corners encloses the scene. The deep side of the frame has a floral motif in shades of pale orange and yellow at the top; the bottom is obscured by the stout onyx bracket supporting the frame. These flanking brackets are L-shaped, with the legs turned in to face each other. The top outer and bottom inner corners are rounded off. The brackets have two protruding golden pegs set with bright green cabochon stones, spaced at the middle and bottom of the picture frame. The brackets rest on a low footed pedestal made from yellow-brown and grey striated stone.

Mechanical Picture Frame
moonstone, black enamel, gold, abalone, hardstone, tinted mother-of-pearl,....
Lent by Private Collection.
13.2016.107

Its dimensions are

H x W x D: 15.2 × 12.7 × 6.4 cm (6 in. × 5 in. × 2 1/2 in.)

It is signed

Case signed Black, Starr & Frost, stamped PG for Pierre Gravoin, dial stamped France

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/2oaHbz/
Accession Number 61.2016.4
Object ID 907214225