AN EMPIRE ORMOLU AND PATINATED-BRONZE MANTEL CLOCK

CIRCA 1810, THE DIAL SIGNED LE ROY, ATTRIBUTED TO PIERRE-PHILIPPE THOMIRE

Details

AN EMPIRE ORMOLU AND PATINATED-BRONZE MANTEL CLOCK
Circa 1810, the dial signed Le Roy, attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire
The circular white enamelled dial with Roman and Arabic chapters signed Le Roy within a Greek-key cast rim, the case cast in the form of a bacchante feeding herself grapes, reclining on a classical daybed decorated with ewers, a tambourine and a thyrsus, the headrest cast on the back with a dancing maiden and on the front with two goats above a frieze cast in relief with panthers, on twinned goat-feet headed with bacchic masks and stepped verde antico marble base with circular feet, the case stamped 676 to the reverse, the movement stamped P/No 309, the thyrsus previously with a berried finial
21in. (53cm.) high, 19in. (49cm.) wide, 6in. (17cm.) deep

Literature

P. Kjellberg, Encyclopdie de La Pendule Franais du Moyen Age au XXe Sicle, Paris, 1997, p. 402, fig. C

Lot Essay

Pierre-Philippe Thomire, 1751-1843.

The present clock is of identical model to that sold anonymously in Paris, Drouot, Ader, 18 June 1948, lot 21, whose case was signed Galle Paris. It is likely that the famous dealer and fondeur Claude Galle was, therefore, the retailer for this model.

This model derives from a clock called La liseuse assise sur une canap, the design for which is in the Bibliothque Nationale, Paris (Cabinet des Estampes, fol. 30.). Claude Galle (died 1815) was appointed supplier to the garde-meuble imprial and was the inventor of numerous models of girandoles, clocks and chandeliers.

The model for this clock may be attributed to the celebrated bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire (d. 1842), whose drawing for a clock of this model is in the National Museum, Stockholm, Sweden. A further clock of, this identical model is illustrated in H. Ottomeyer /P. Prschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Vol. II, Munich, 1986, p. 379 whilst another, also attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire, with movement by Vaillant was sold anonymously at Christie's Monaco, 15 June 1997, lot 106. A further closely related example is illustrated in 'Le Plaisir de France Les Objets en Vogu', Connaissance des Arts, Paris, 1976, p.119, fig.1.