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A Louis XV ormolu-mounted ebonized cartonnier clock, attributed to Charles Cressent circa 1740-1745, the dial signed Julien Le Roy de la Société des Arts à Paris, the movement signed Julien Le Roy à Paris
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 USD
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Description
- ormolu, ebony, enamel
- height 16 in.; width 21 in.; depth 5 in.
- 41 cm; 53.5 cm; 13 cm
Condition
Ormolu with rubbing and oxidation; both mounts of rosettes flanking dial each with a loss to the bottom section of one rosette; enamel with a few fine cracks; ebonized veneer in good condition with a few very minor age cracks
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
As one of the most sought-after cabinetmakers in Paris, Charles Cressent (1685-1768) achieved widespread notoriety during his lifetime. He was named “ébéniste du Regent” in 1723 and his name was used in sale advertisements and catalogues beginning in the 1720s at a time when most pieces were sold as unattributed.
Trained as a sculptor, his bronze creations are often highly figural, complex, and infused with originality. This cartonnier clock displays Cressent’s mastery of the varied arts of casting, chasing, and cabinetry, which were practices regulated by separate guilds under l’Ancien Régime. Cressent’s disregard for guild boundaries led to prosecution and fines but also to unified works.
The ebonized case is typical of Cressent since he preferred using ebonized wood instead of ebony. All the other documented versions of the model, however, are done in kingwood: one sold Sotheby’s Paris, November 7, 2013, lot 171 also signed by Julien Le Roy (1686-1759); one in the collection of the Palazzo del Quirinale, Rome and illustrated in Alexandre Pradère, Charles Cressent, 2003, p. 301, fig. 243; and one formerly in the collection of Bernard Dillée and sold Paris, 1965 and illustrated Pradère, ibid., p. 301, fig. 244.
Trained as a sculptor, his bronze creations are often highly figural, complex, and infused with originality. This cartonnier clock displays Cressent’s mastery of the varied arts of casting, chasing, and cabinetry, which were practices regulated by separate guilds under l’Ancien Régime. Cressent’s disregard for guild boundaries led to prosecution and fines but also to unified works.
The ebonized case is typical of Cressent since he preferred using ebonized wood instead of ebony. All the other documented versions of the model, however, are done in kingwood: one sold Sotheby’s Paris, November 7, 2013, lot 171 also signed by Julien Le Roy (1686-1759); one in the collection of the Palazzo del Quirinale, Rome and illustrated in Alexandre Pradère, Charles Cressent, 2003, p. 301, fig. 243; and one formerly in the collection of Bernard Dillée and sold Paris, 1965 and illustrated Pradère, ibid., p. 301, fig. 244.