FRENCH SILVERED AND GILT BRONZE MOUNTED AND CLOISONNE ENAMELLED FIGURAL DESK TIMEPIECE

FRENCH SILVERED AND GILT BRONZE MOUNTED AND CLOISONNE ENAMELLED FIGURAL DESK TIMEPIECE, third quarter 19th century, retailed by Maison Alphonse Giroux, Paris; the miniature carriage timepiece by Aiguilles within a howdah on the back of an elephant with mahout; the timepiece with platform escapement and Roman and Arabic dial with retailer's name within a gilt metal and bevelled glass case; the howdah canopy and aprons all with enamelled foliate decoration, with conforming decoration around the oval onyx base, 21cm high, 14cm wide François-Simon-Alphonse Giroux founded his business in 1799, with premises at 7, rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré, Paris. Dealing in luxury goods, and known for its high-quality objects such as glove boxes, caskets for weddings and baptisms, and New Year gifts, by 1834, the company also sold small items of furniture. In 1838, the company was taken over by Giroux`s two sons, Alphonse-Gustave (d.1886) and André (d.1874), who under the name of Giroux & Cie, further extended the business, showing and frequently winning medals at the Exposition des Produits de l`Industrie Française. Between 1855 and 1857, Maison Alphonse Giroux supplied Napoléon III and Empress Eugenie with furniture including a small bureau, two ormolu-mounted chiffonniers, candelabras, clocks and vases. In 1857, the business relocated to 43, boulevard des Capucines, where it remained until 1867 when it was taken over by Duvinage and Harinkouke