Tale of a Clock,

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1629, 5 October 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

Tale of a Clock,

The most unique and one of the moss valuable clocks probably in the city, Bays the Philadelphia Rccoid, is owned by Dr. J. Newton Walker. Tae time piece originally cost £200, and was purchased in France by the grandfather of the present owner over 100 yoars. It- is a production of the latter parS of the Louis XVJ. period. The peculiarity of tho etylo of ita finish, together with the subject betrayed in its decoration, forms a representative type of the art of that age when everything that contained the slightest semblance to claesioism was fashionable. As a work of art it ia invaluable aa showing the growth of *ioh design during iLe a g @ following the plainer and sterner handicraft of tho ages of Louis XIV. and Louis XV.

The clock weighs pearly 150 pounds, and is 18 inches in height and 15 inohes in breadth. It is made of Parian marble and bronze, with several brass figures and gilt mounting.* This work of art stands on four lions' pftwo of brass. The clock proper rests beneath a marble pediment, having a dial of ssarce C inches in diameter, en which two gilt-mounted braes hands rotate. Near ths ba3o of the dial are two smaller dials to mark the days of the weik and month, and also the time of tides according to full, half and quarter moons. The dock-work is partially imbedded in the marblo pediment above. Tho latter is an ingenious piece of artistic workmanship. It is a frieze-like affair, with representations of the principal deities of Grecian mythology.

Mo3t interesting, however, is the superstructure of bronze, copper and brass, which contains an historical soene from the last stage of ths French revolution daring ibe reigU cf lutitv. The seens is & subterranean prison, beautifully worked io bronze and copper. A Girondist of bronze had been imprisoned to die of starvation. Hig icefc are chained to two huge' stones represented in brass, vfhile on eaoh of his wrists are attaohed light ohains fastened to several weights. Seated near him is a bronze figure of s beautiful girl, his daughter, who is allowed to see him once a day during his imprisonment. Her position is such as to infer that he had just receive nourishment from her, Lizsrds and Berpentß— in brass — are represented a3 creeping and crawling among the crevices of the rocks out of whioh the prison ia cat. At the far end of the prison beyond the bars of a small window is the face of the spy appointed by the prison-keepers to asoertain how it was the prisoner was able to prolong his life so long beyond the time usually allowed for death by starvation. Aa the elory thus illustrated relates, the daughter gave sustenance to her father, to whioh was atfaecl th.3 nourishment obtained from rou. tilOß and lizarda tfeals ho killed from time Io time. Death by tha guillotine followed the revelation portrayed in this scene.