Elephant table clock, the case and movement signed by different craftsmen. The case proclaims it was 'made by Caffieri', while the movement is signed by Jerome Martinot (1671-1724), the enamelled dial has been signed on the back by Antoine-Nicola Martinière and a spring in the movement has the signature of 'Magny' (perhaps Alexis Magny). The number of signatures reflects how such clocks were assembled by 'marchands merciers' (or 'luxury goods merchants') in Paris who commissioned works of art which combined contrasting luxury materials including bronze, horn, porcelain and ormolu. Such elaborate clocks often included an organ in the base, although this does not survive for the V&A example. Other mid-eighteenth-century clocks incorporate elephants in ormolu (gilded bronze) or Meissen porcelain, or lions in Chinese porcelain. Only three clocks cast entirely in bronze like this one have survived, and it has been argued that the V&A clock is the earliest example. Although the surface chasing on the V&A's example is not of the highest quality, this may be explained by the later regilding which covers the original chased surface. When it entered the Museum in 1882, the clock stood on a later ebony base with gilded bronze mounts and the dial, despite Martinière's eighteenth-century signature, may well have been re-enamelled in the nineteenth century.
The different craftsmen responsible for this clock all enjoyed royal or aristocratic patronage. The spring-maker Alexis Magny (1712-circa 1793) was mechanical engineer to the Bonnier de la Mosson (d. 1744), patron of the arts and treasurer of Languedoc, and made over 40 instruments for de la Mosson's scientific cabinet. Jerome Martinot was Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire du Roi to Louis XIV in succession to his father Jean Martinot with whom he worked until 1702. Jerome Martinot's most famous creation was a moving armillary sphere made in co-operation with Thomas Haye, a celebrated manufacturer of scientific instruments. The sphere was displayed in the small gallery at Versailles and Martinot was paid 400 Louis d'or from the king's private purse for the work which was presented to the king on 28th February 1701. Jerome Martinot was certified insane in October 1718 and was succeeded by his son Jean as Valet de Chambre-Horloger du Roi and Gouverneur du Grand Horloge du Palais. Both father and son lived under the Grand Horloge. It is likely that the movement, although signed by Jerome Martinot was supplied by his son Jean who regularly produced clocks for the royal household and used cases by J.Caffieri, E. J. Gallien, J.J,.de Saint Germain and A. L. Duval. Antoine-Nicolas Martinière established the techniques of enamelling large dials in the 1730s and also continued to provide enamelled dials for watches. He received a royal pension from Louis XV. His enamelled plan of the battle of Fontenoy, signed and dated 1747, was in Louis XV's private collection. Jacques Caffieri (1678-1755) was the son of Italian sculptor Philippe Caffieri (1634-1716), who served Louis XIV. Jacques became a master-founder ('maître fondateur-ciseleur') in 1714, and worked on important commissions for the French king. He was responsible for the gilded bronze mounts on a commode made in 1739 for Louis XV's bedchamber, and in 1742 he made two of the principal gifts that were presented to the Turkish Sultan Mahmoud I on his visit to Versailles. Jacques was acutely conscious of his status as an artist, and was careful to sign the elaborate mounts and cases he made for furniture and clocks, as well as the portrait busts on which his reputation as an artist rests. In 1747 he entered into partnership with his son, Philippe (1714-1774), and it is not certain which of them was responsible for the case and assemblage of this clock.