LE COMTE À PARIS, DIAL BY COTEAU. LATE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A Louis XVI ormolu, marble and enamel striking skeleton clock with calendar
Le Comte à Paris, dial by Coteau. Late 18th Century
The case with rouge griotte marble plinth raised on four ormolu toupie feet and with an ormolu bead-and-reel gallery mount, mounted with four cylindrical white marble plinths supporting two arches joined by plain pillars, the front arch applied with a sky blue enamel mount, with an ormolu oak leaf and acorn mount above, the dial also framed by a sky blue enamel mount and with ormolu displayed eagle, oak leaf and acorn cresting, the white enamel Arabic chapter ring with skeletonised centre, with gilt five minute markers and inner concentric calendar ring, signed Le Comte à Paris, and to the lower edge by 30 Coteau, with pierced ormolu hands and blued steel calendar hand, the four pillar movement with circular plates and twin barrels, with silk suspension and anchor escapement and countwheel strike on bell, the ormolu pendulum with bob pierced in an urn design
15in. (38cm.) high

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Pierre Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la Pendule Francaise, Les éditions de l'amateur, 1997, pp.318-322; Derek Roberts, Continental and American Skeleton Clocks, Schiffer, 1989, pp.39-41; Tardy, French Clocks The World Over, Vol.II, Paris, 1981, pp.206-207.

Joseph Coteau (1740-1812) was possibly the most famous enameller of his day, supplying dials for the great clockmakers of France. Born in Geneva he became maître-peintre-émailleur at the Académie de Saint-Luc in Geneva in 1766. By 1772 he was installed in Rue Poupée, Paris. Coteau is celebrated not only for his dials but also as a skilled miniaturist. He discovered a new method for fixing raised gold on porcelain and worked closely with the Sèvres factory in developing their 'jewelled' porcelain.
Presumably Florent Le Comte. Recorded as in Rue du Bourg-l'Abbé in 1772 and as working for Charles Le Roy. He was made bankrupt in 1775 and moved to Enclos St Martin des Champs.

More from IMPORTANT CLOCKS

View All