THE MOVEMENT BY JEAN-ANDRÉ LEPAUTE

Details

A LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED KINGWOOD AND PARQUETRY LONGCASE CLOCK
The movement by Jean-André Lepaute
The circular glazed silvered dial signed 'LEPAUTE AU LUXEMBOURGH 1756' with Roman outer concentric chapter ring and inner Arabic minutes, central revolving disc with Arabic chapters, with elaborate foliate pierced ormolu hands and sweep centre seconds, cut out aperture at 30 for the revolving silvered calendar ring displaying the months and their respective days, the movement with four back-pinned pillars, delicate wheel train with pinwheel escapement and Huygens endless rope wind, the equation cam mounted on the calendar wheel arbor to the front plate, with planetary motionwork, engraved 'TEMS VRAI', the movement signed to the back 'LEPAUTE A PARIS', with later gridiron pendulum, within a shaped circular hood framed with foliate C-scrolls, surmounted by an acanthus finial, above a bombé door headed by a musical trophy suspended from a scalop shell framed by scrolling foliage, flanked by pierced floral rockwork angles, above a glazed panel framed by foliate C-scrolls, flanked by scrolling acanthus angle mounts, above a glazed panel framed by foliate C-scrolls and surmounted by a trophy of scientific instruments and a globe, flanked by scrolling acanthus, on a shaped moulded plinth socle, hood with restored crack
83½ in. (212 cm.) high; 23¼ in. (58.5 cm) wide; 11¼ in. (28.5 cm.) deep

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Sale room notice

This lot is sold without its pendulum. Christie's will arrange and pay for a replacement pendulum.

Lot Essay

Recorded as both Le Paute and Lepaute, this celebrated dynasty of horlogers was founded by Jean-André in 1740. Settled in Paris and appointed horloger du Roi with lodgings in the Luxembourg Palace, his innovative ideas, such as the échappement à repos of 1753, as well as his writings, including an impressive Traité d'Horlogerie, published in 1755, earned him the title maître and lodgings at the Louvre by 1759. His brother also became horloger du Roi and succeeded him in the Galeries du Louvre lodgings in 1775. The next generation of horlogers strengthened the reputation of the Le Paute Dynasty. Henry Lepaute and his cousin Pierre-Basille bought, then subsequently divided, their uncle's company, creating the signatures 'Henry Lepaute à Paris' and 'Lepaute Oncle & Neveu'. This latter line of the dynasty continued to prosper, Pierre-Basile and his son employing the signature 'Lepaute & é Paris', and during the Empire they became the main supplier of clocks to the garde-meuble.

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