Lot Essay
This model has often been associated with the oeuvre of François Vion, but differs considerably from the drawing attributed to this bronzier in the Bibliothèque Doucet. Even though it does not seem possible to attribute this model to a specific bronzier, the raised front paw of the lion relates to the Louis XV model by Saint Germain, sold in the Jacques Doucet sale, Paris, 5-8 June 1912, lot 79.
In 1779, the bronzier Dartois sold his share of the workshop to his partner Sauvageot. In the inventory that was made at that date there is mention of 'une pendule à lion... 600 livres'. Medals of Louis XVI and Henri IV embellish other examples. This model was used by other horlogers, such as an example in the collection of the Prince de Ligne at the château de Beloeil. A further example was sold by a Nobleman in these Rooms, 17 June 1987, lot 37 and another was sold anonymously at Sotheby's, 9 December 1994, lot 212.
A further example was noticed at the pavillon du Roule in the salle de bains, belonging to the banker Beaujon. This was sold for 875 livres at the sale of his collection in April 1787, lot 423.
In the 18th Century two other examples decorated with paste, like the Coke clock, belonged to the banker Giambone and to the duchesse de Maillé. The paste decoration on the Coke clock is very similar to paste jewellery of the 1780s.
Pierre Caquerelle, son of a master tailor in Paris, was born before 1745. He was the cousin of the menuisier Parmentier and married the daughter of a hosier in 1761. He was based at the place de la porte Saint-Antoine at the foot of the Bastille and between 1778 and 1781 at the rue Saint-Denis. He produced few, but very good clocks, of which the cases are often signed by the bronzier Osmond. His relative Jacques became maitre horloger in 1774.
This clock was formerly in the collection of Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), the second son of Baron Lionel de Rothschild. He had a superb collection of pictures and the finest French 18th Century furniture which was housed at Halton House, near Wendover in Buckinghamshire, built for him between 1881 and 1884, and his London house at No. 1 Seamore Place, Mayfair. He was later to became a Trustee of the Wallace Collection and the National Gallery (M. Hall, 'The English Rothschilds as Collectors', The Rothschilds, Essays on the History of a European Family, Woodbridge, 1994, pp. 278-283 and C. Simon Sykes, Private Palaces, Life in the Great London Houses, London, 1989, pp. 303-304). Alfred was the most extravagent of Lionel de Rothschild's three sons and his parties were legendary. Lady Warwick wrote of him: 'Mr. Alfred can best be described as a connoisseur in the fine art of living...In the famous white drawing-room in Seamore Place, I have heard the greatest artistes in the world, who were paid royal fees to entertain a handful of his friends' (Frances, Countess of Warwick, Afterthoughts, London, 1931, pp. 86,87). On his death in 1918, Alfred bequeathed this clock to one of these friends and his near neighbour in Buckinghamshire, Viscount Burnham (d.1933) who lived at Hall Barn, near Beaconsfield, which had been bought by Burnham's father is 1882. Viscount Burnham, the Principal Proprieter of The Daily Telegraph which had been founded by his grandfather, was the grandfather of Gerald Coke.
In 1779, the bronzier Dartois sold his share of the workshop to his partner Sauvageot. In the inventory that was made at that date there is mention of 'une pendule à lion... 600 livres'. Medals of Louis XVI and Henri IV embellish other examples. This model was used by other horlogers, such as an example in the collection of the Prince de Ligne at the château de Beloeil. A further example was sold by a Nobleman in these Rooms, 17 June 1987, lot 37 and another was sold anonymously at Sotheby's, 9 December 1994, lot 212.
A further example was noticed at the pavillon du Roule in the salle de bains, belonging to the banker Beaujon. This was sold for 875 livres at the sale of his collection in April 1787, lot 423.
In the 18th Century two other examples decorated with paste, like the Coke clock, belonged to the banker Giambone and to the duchesse de Maillé. The paste decoration on the Coke clock is very similar to paste jewellery of the 1780s.
Pierre Caquerelle, son of a master tailor in Paris, was born before 1745. He was the cousin of the menuisier Parmentier and married the daughter of a hosier in 1761. He was based at the place de la porte Saint-Antoine at the foot of the Bastille and between 1778 and 1781 at the rue Saint-Denis. He produced few, but very good clocks, of which the cases are often signed by the bronzier Osmond. His relative Jacques became maitre horloger in 1774.
This clock was formerly in the collection of Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), the second son of Baron Lionel de Rothschild. He had a superb collection of pictures and the finest French 18th Century furniture which was housed at Halton House, near Wendover in Buckinghamshire, built for him between 1881 and 1884, and his London house at No. 1 Seamore Place, Mayfair. He was later to became a Trustee of the Wallace Collection and the National Gallery (M. Hall, 'The English Rothschilds as Collectors', The Rothschilds, Essays on the History of a European Family, Woodbridge, 1994, pp. 278-283 and C. Simon Sykes, Private Palaces, Life in the Great London Houses, London, 1989, pp. 303-304). Alfred was the most extravagent of Lionel de Rothschild's three sons and his parties were legendary. Lady Warwick wrote of him: 'Mr. Alfred can best be described as a connoisseur in the fine art of living...In the famous white drawing-room in Seamore Place, I have heard the greatest artistes in the world, who were paid royal fees to entertain a handful of his friends' (Frances, Countess of Warwick, Afterthoughts, London, 1931, pp. 86,87). On his death in 1918, Alfred bequeathed this clock to one of these friends and his near neighbour in Buckinghamshire, Viscount Burnham (d.1933) who lived at Hall Barn, near Beaconsfield, which had been bought by Burnham's father is 1882. Viscount Burnham, the Principal Proprieter of The Daily Telegraph which had been founded by his grandfather, was the grandfather of Gerald Coke.