A LOUIS XVI PATINATED AND GILT-BRONZE MANTEL CLOCK ATTRIBUTED TO JEAN-JOSEPH DE SAINT-GERMAIN, CIRCA 1780 |

figuring a child resting on a cushion and a rocaille terrace, on an ebony veneered oval base with a gilt-bronze frieze of entrelacs; the dial with a spurious signature of the clockmaker Julien Le Roy

Sold Sotheby's London, 29 May 1965, lot 37
Private European collection

J.-D. Augarde,  "Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain" in H. Ottomeyer et P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Munchen, 1986, vol. II, p. 534, fig. 17 (illustrated)

Dial in generally good condition, minor chips to winding holes, good hands. Movement is complete but needs a clean and fresh oil. No pendulum or winder. The ebony case with a few expected cracks on the veneer (not distracting). The patinated and gilt-bronzes with very few scratches or stains. Beautiful and rare model in good overall condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. 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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping."

  This mantle clock model can be attributed to the bronze artist Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain (1719-1791). After a long and successful career, he retired from his trade in 1777. On this occasion, he sold part of his stock to different fellows including the caster-gilder Marcel-François Noël who notably purchased from him a mantle clock with a child figurine (see J.D. Augarde, "Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, bronzier" in L'Estampille l'Objet d Art. 308, December 1996, p.70). When Noël filed bankruptcy in 1778, the model is more precisely described in the report as: "A round clock box with marble plinth representing a child on a cushion holding his foot and leaning on said box" (see J.-D. Augarde, "Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain" in H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Bronzen Vergoldete, Munich, 1986, vol II, 537, 66).

 

The example that we present is the only one where the child is of patinated bronze. On the other two known clocks, the child is in gilt bronze. The first's provenance is the Talleyrand collections at Valençay château auctioned by Sotheby's in Monaco on 23 February 1986, lot 909. The second has Repond signed on the dial and is from the Diane de Castellane collection, also auctioned by Sotheby's in Monaco on 9 December 1995, lot 52.

 

The infant figure is of course inspired by Child with a Bird Cage by the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, executed around 1749, especially in the handling of the head. This work has been reproduced many times with its match Little Girl with Bird and Apple and led promptly to bronze casts during Pigalle's lifetime, who himself had a version of it. Considering the enduring popularity of the artwork, Saint-Germain could therefore have developed this mantle clock towards the end of Louis XV's reign, hoping that it would be as successful.