The clock-making company Raingo Frères built some of the most remarkable timepieces of the 19th century. Best known for its ornate mantel clocks, the company also masterfully crafted other works, such as candelabras and sculptures. Modeled on Renaissance, Byzantine and Empire styles, the company’s gilded garniture is some of the most recognizable artistic work of the 19th century. It displays the elaborate majesty prevalent in aristocratic and royal homes of the period.
Belgian watchmaker and metalworker Zacharie Raingo was the son of a watchmaker, and he took up the trade in his youth. He lived and worked in Belgium until 1813, when he relocated to Paris. During his time in Belgium, Raingo was inspired by Antide Janvier and developed his own planetary pendulum. In 1810, he patented an astronomical clock, a rotating spherical mechanism designed to emulate the behavior of celestial bodies.
In 1823, he founded Raingo Frères with his four sons, Adolphe, Charles, Denis and Dorsant. Established as both an industrial and commercial venture, the company quickly gained notoriety for its bronze work in addition to its fame as a clockmaker. It created works for an array of nobility and royalty, like the Duke of Chartres, King George V of England and Emperor Napoleon III of France, whose collection is now at the Louvre museum in Paris.
The company exhibited its works in the 1867, 1878 and 1889 World’s Fairs in Paris, winning numerous prizes, including a gold medal in 1889. Many museums and private collections boast works by Raingo Frères, including the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris and the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels.
On 1stDibs, find incredible wall clocks, mantel clocks, vases and more by Raingo Frères.
French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Marble & Ormolu Lyre Clock & Candelabra Set
By Lerolle Freres
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Very Fine French Late 19th Century Louis XVI Style White Marble and Ormolu 'Lyre' Clock Garniture Set. The lyre-shaped white marble clock is mounted with finely chased ormolu throu...
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
A French 19th C. Louis XV Style Ormolu Cherub Clock & Candelabra Garniture Set
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An Assembled Very Fine French 19th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze and White Marble Figural Mantel Clock and Candelabra Garniture Set. The finely chased ormolu clock body, with it...
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
A French 19th-20th Century Gilt-Metal 3-Piece Clock and Candelabra Garniture Set
By Japy Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A French 19th-20th Century Gilt-Metal Three-Piece Clock and Candelabra Garniture Set in a Chippendale-Arabesque flavor. The urn shaped clock with a scalloped body flanked by lion mas...
Metal
19th Century Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock by Lemerle Charpentier
By Lemerle Charpentier 1
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Palatial French 19th century Louis XVI style gilt bronze mantel clock by Lemerle-Charpentier bronzier. The large rectangular gilt bronze body surmounted with floral scrolls and acanthus and crowned with an urn with wreath decorations. The circular porcelain enameled clock dial...
Bronze
Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Mantel Clock by Henri Picard & Fedinand Barbedienne
By F. Barbedienne Foundry
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Very Fine French 19th Century Gilt-Bronze Figural Mantel Clock, Horloge à Poser, by Henri Picard and Fedinand Barbedienne - ‘F. Barbédienne & Cie. / A Paris’, after the model by É...
Bronze, Ormolu
French Louis XVI Style Figural Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock - Étienne Le Noir, Paris
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine and Palatial French Louis XVI style figural gilt bronze mantel clock. The vase shaped case surmounted with a pomegranate-cast finial and flanked by large satyr mask handles fitted with intertwined gilt-bronze snakes, amongst floral wreaths, ribbons and acanthus. The rectangular acanthus decorated base flanked on each side with a figure of a cherub holding a globe and a Putti writing a poem, both above a plinth decorated with fruit and floral garlands surmounted with lion-mask-legs. The circular white enamel dial with wreaths of flowers with Roman and Arabic numerals, Signed: Étienne Le Noir...
Bronze, Ormolu
Large 19th Century French Ormolu Clock Garniture in the Louis XVI Style
Located in Dublin, IE
Measures: H: 25 1/2 in / 64.7 cm ; W: 22 1/4 in / 56.5 cm ; D: 9 1/2 in / 24.2 cm An exceptional quality three-piece clock set designed in a grand neoclassical. The set is compri...
Ormolu
Imposing 19th Century French Ormolu Clock Garniture 29"(73cm) high
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A large and impressive, very good quality French gilded ormolu clock garniture. The clock supported by a pair of Caryatids, decorated with swags and classical motifs, four bevelled g...
Ormolu
C19th French Gilded ormolu Clock set.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A French late 19th Century Louis XVI style gilded ormolu clock set. The clock having a classical urn mounted to the top, Lion mask drop handles either...
Ormolu
19th Century Antique French Neoclassical Style Gilt Bronze Clock Garniture
Located in Dublin, IE
An exceptional quality three-piece clock set designed in a grand neoclassical style by 'Domange Rollin Rue de Bretagne Paris'. France. The set is comprised of a central clock and tw...
Enamel, Ormolu
Large Louis XV Style Rococo Ormolu Three-Piece Clock Set by Barbedienne
By Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in London, GB
Large Louis XV style Rococo ormolu three-piece clock set by Barbedienne French, late 19th century Clock: height 58cm, width 51cm, depth 19cm Candelabra: height 75cm, width 35cm, d...
Enamel, Ormolu
Important 19th Century French clock garniture by Deniere.
By Maison Deniere
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A wonderfully impressive 19th Century French gilded ormolu clock garniture, by Deniere of Paris. The clock having a classical reclining maiden holding doves among flowers and foliage...
Ormolu
