Miniature clock in the form of an elephant supporting a watch case, ca. 1750, watch dial a later 18th century replacement
Miniature clock in the form of an elephant supporting a watch case, ca. 1750, watch dial a later 18th century replacement, possibly German, Dresden, Agate, heliotrope, gold and diamonds, H. 7-5/16 in. ( cm), Horology, Hardstones—which were found in abundant supply and variety in the mines of Saxony and Silesia—are the focal element in much German goldsmiths' work and galanterien of the eighteenth century. The carving of stones into naturalistic and zoomorphic forms has been traditionally associated with Dresden, where the court jeweler Johann Melchior Dinglinger (1664–1731) produced ornamental figures of great skill and inventiveness composed of jewels, hardstones, and gold; such pieces are invariably unmarked, however, and their origin cannot be considered certain
Size: 2972px × 4469px
Photo credit: © Artokoloro / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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