Antique French Verge Fusee Gilt Bronze Desk Clock Memento Mori Skull Doctor’s

I am pleased to offer from my private collection this  rare and highly symbolic early 19th-century French memento mori desk clock, featuring a verge fusee escapement housed in an elaborate gilt bronze case. This macabre yet sophisticated object blends themes of mortality, medicine, and neoclassical artistry—crafted as a profound reminder of life’s transience and the solemn responsibility of the medical profession. Design Features: • Memento Mori Skull & Crown: Atop the case sits a crowned skull, signifying the sovereignty of death and the humility of human life. • Engraved Skeleton Motif: One side of the case displays a delicately engraved full human skeleton—an anatomical nod to the doctor’s understanding of the human body. • Engraving (Back): The back bears an engraved passage from the Hippocratic Oath, written in Greek, and dated Paris 1809, anchoring it firmly in the medical and philosophical traditions of the time. • Dial: Enamel dial with Roman numerals, signed “Moriniere à Jallais”, indicating a regional French maker. • Movement: Exposed verge fusee escapement visible when opened, with decorative gilded balance cock and fine detailing. • Construction: Hinged case with rich baroque and rococo ornamentation, reflecting the aesthetic tastes of Napoleonic-era France. Specifications: • Maker: Moriniere à Jallais (France) • Date: Circa 1809 • Material: Gilt bronze • Movement: Early verge fusee, key-wound • Dial: White enamel with Roman numerals • Engravings: Greek Hippocratic Oath, Paris 1809 • Dimention: 10.8cm high. Condition: Good antique condition with typical signs of age. Some minor wear and discoloration to the enamel dial. Movement appears complete but untested. Case gilding is well preserved with fine detailing throughout. Historical Significance: This piece would have likely belonged to a physician or scholar of the early 19th century, intended as a daily reminder of the sacred duty to heal and the inevitability of death. The use of Greek inscription for the oath and the date 1809 Paris suggests a classical influence prevalent during the Enlightenment and Napoleonic era. Remarks: A highly collectible and intellectually rich object at the crossroads of medicine, horology, and memento mori art. Ideal for collectors of verge fusee timepieces, medical antiques, or symbolic decorative arts.

There was a tradition to award such clocks to the young Doctors just after graduating the medicine academy.

PERFECT WORKING ORDER(do not expect a quartz accuracy from 200 years old verge fusee movement)

It comes with a matching key.  

The clock is  a link to the tradition of the memento mori – an object designed to remind us that life is brief and that we should seize the moment while we are here. It comes with AN APPRAISAL CERTIFICATE FOR $4500