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French Directoire Bronze Skeleton Clock
About the Item
Extremely fine quality Directoire/Empire gilt bronze mounted gilt brass skeleton clock with enameled chapter ring and openwork movement. Roman numerals for the hours and outer half minute indications .
Paris, date circa 1795-1805
Striking every half hour and hour.
Perfect working condition.
Literature: Tardy, “Les Plus Belles Pendules Françaises”, 1994, p. 326, illustrating a skeleton clock signed on the dial Bosset à Paris formerly in the P. Balmès collection, with an almost identical case but without the serpents on the lower part of the inverted Y-shaped frame. And p. 327, illustrating another skeleton clock, formerly from the Refes collection, with more dials than here but likewise with an inverted Y-shaped frame supported on the backs of the same chimera. Derek Roberts, “Continental and American Skeleton Clocks”, 1989, p. 60, pl. 46a, illustrating an unsigned skeleton clock possibly by Verneuil with fine enamel work by Joseph Coteau, featuring the same inverted Y-shaped frame but without the chimera supports, a fine gilt painted white enamel main dial ring surmounted by a blue and gold star studded lunar dial with two additional subsidiary calendar dials below the main dial, again as here it has a massive gridiron pendulum which unusually is mounted on the front of the clock and again as here the whole stands upon a marble plinth. And p. 28, pl. 14, illustrating a similar type of skeleton clock by Deschamps of circa 1825, likewise with a surmounting lunar dial, a nine rod compensated pendulum and serpents winding up either side of the inverted Y-shaped frame but without the flanking chimera supports, in the Musée de Techniques, Paris.
A number of other similar precision skeleton clocks of this complexity are likewise unsigned while at the same time almost identical examples but with variations to the individual elements were made by such esteemed makers as Verneuil, Paratte à Paris, Schmitz à Paris, A. Jaquin Fils à Paris, as well as Lepaute, such as one from the Tronchin collection at Château de Bessinge, near Geneva. Some of the latter examples have multi-dials, which though more visually imposing, was in fact simpler for the clockmaker to construct. In contrast the present skeleton clock indicates the hours, minutes, days of the month and days of the week along with their appropriate symbols, all within the same dial ring, which required infinite ingenuity on behalf of the clockmaker. Another admirable aspect is the true nine rod compensated pendulum, complete with the temperature gauge and large bob as well as the visible star wheel for the calendar work. The latter can also be seen on a similarly constructed and unsigned skeleton clock, which Derek Roberts notes was possibly by Verneuil (illustrated, ibid.). The movement and overall arrangement also compares closely with another skeleton clock signed Verneuil her Mien which was once owned by this gallery (illustrated in Richard Redding Antiques Ltd, 30th Anniversary”, 2008, p. 31). Interestingly the latter clock also featured on the pendulum temperature gauge the Latin inscription Elementa Suis Propriis Armis Victa, (which can loosely be translated as ‘The elements are defeated by their own weapon’); the same motto also appears on a regulator by the royal clockmaker Robert Robin (1741-99).
- Dimensions:Height: 16.54 in (42 cm)Width: 4.73 in (12 cm)Depth: 11.82 in (30 cm)
- Style:Empire (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1790-1799
- Date of Manufacture:1795
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Rome, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU985945058452
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