P. Louteau. A very fine, rare and early silver and gilt metal octagonal pendant-form verge watch
FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF LÉON LEROY, INVENTORY NO. 76
P. Louteau. A very fine, rare and early silver and gilt metal octagonal pendant-form verge watch

SIGNED P. LOUTEAU A LYON, CIRCA 1610

Details
P. Louteau. A very fine, rare and early silver and gilt metal octagonal pendant-form verge watch
Signed P. Louteau a Lyon, circa 1610
The octagonal full plate gilt brass movement with verge escapement, small elongated and irregular gilt brass cock, pierced and engraved with asymmetrical flower and foliage decoration, possibly later click set up covered with a pierced and engraved cock, wheel missing, three arm brass balance, fusée and gut line for the going train, vase-shaped pillars, the gilt octagonal dial engraved with scrolls and foliate decoration, a male nude to the top and a female nude to the bottom, the centre scene depicting a farmer within a rural landscape, applied silver chapter ring with Roman numerals, blued steel single hand, in octagonal three body hinged case, the front cover with central panel depicting an enamoured couple, surrounded by eight panels finely engraved with nudes, underworld figures and a grimacing mask, the reverse similarly decorated with associated motives, the band further decorated with six panels depicting on one side two nude adolescents, centred by a smiling mask, the other side depicting cherubs and a diabolic mask, the inside of both covers gilt-finished and engraved with rural landscape scenes, octagonal vase-shaped pendant with loose ring, movement signed
27 mm. wide & 47 mm. overall length

Lot Essay

Accompagnied by late 19th century octagonal brown leather box and original inventory label from the Léon Leroy Collection reading Collection Léon Leroy No. 76 to one side and P. Louteau de Lyon. Débuts 17e carré de remontage sous le coq (P. Louteau of Lyon. Beginning of 17th, winding facility underneath the cock).

Pierre Louteau
Pierre Louteau worked in Lyon between 1603 and 1628 and is variously described as 'Maestre Horlogeur', 'Horlogier' and 'Orlogeur'. On 4th of January 1607, he married Marie Vannier who is especially mentioned as having been a protestant. Louteau himself was of the same faith and appears in the rolls of huguenots belonging to the town of Lyon.

Watches signed by Louteau are recorded in some of the world's most distinguished collections such as J. Pierport Morgan Collection, Gélis Collection, Spitzer Collection, Marryat Collection, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and the Hilton Price Collection.

Léon Leroy
Léon Leroy (1876-1961) was a direct descendant of the famous French watchmaking dynasty of the Leroy family founded in 1785 by Charles Bazile Leroy.

The business was taken over by Léon Leroy in 1935 after the death of Louis Leroy and was directed by him until his death in 1961 when he was succeeded by his brothers Pierre and Philippe.

Léon Leroy devoted a large part of his time to collecting books on the history of French horology. His collection, containing numerous items of greatest rarity, was offered at public auction in Paris in 1982.
;

More from IMPORTANT POCKETWATCHES AND WRISTWATCHES

View All
View All