.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Two drawings in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, both now firmly attributed to André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732) place this monumental régulateur firmly within his oeuvre. The first, a late seventeenth century drawing, is close in design of the lower section to this clock. The second drawing, formerly attributed to Jean-Baptiste Oppenordt, has more accentuated curves and a more exuberant cresting with sculptural figures. A regulateur of this later model (although reduced in height) was sold anonymously at Sotheby's New York, 14 October 1988, lot 42.
THE PRINCE DE CONDÉ'S REGULATEUR
It is possible to date the present régulateur to the early years of the eighteenth century and to propose two theories regarding its manufacture. The first possibility (advanced by Pradère, op.cit., p. 102) is that it was commissioned by Louis XIV's cousin, the prince de Condé. On September 25th, 1707 the prince paid 'au Sr. Boulle ébéniste la somme de 1,400 livres pour une boîte de marquetrie qu'il a faite pour la pendule de la chambre jaune de SAS à l'hôtel de Condé'. On the 5th of August, 1708 he paid 'au sieur Raby, horologer, la somme, de 600 livres, prix fait avec lui pour la pendule à secondes sonnant les quartes et à répétition, qu'il a faite pour la boîte à pendule de marquetrie qui est dans la chambre jaune de l'appartement de SAS à l'hôtel de Condé'. The prince died the following year. In an inventory of the Petit Luxembourg Palace it was listed as: 'une grande pendule à lentille de marquetrie avec ornaments de figures di bronze doré d'or moulu fait par Raby, 1500.'
The Prince's widow Marie-Anne de Bavière, princess de Condé, apparently kept the régulateur in the grande salon of the same residence, as in 1723 it was listed in this location in her posthumous inventory: 'une grande pendule à lentille à grande vibration faite par Raby à Paris dont la boette de marquetrie d'ébéne et cuivre ornée de moulure et masque et de neuf pieds trois quart de haut les dits ornemens dorez d'or moulu ouvrage de Boulle, 1500 livres.'
In the 1732 inventory after Boulle's death there was a description of: 'item 47 - une boeste de modèles de grande teste de saturne avec des ornements de la pendule à secondes de Mr. le Prince de Condé pesant 16 livres.'
From all this evidence we can conclude that the régulateur of the prince de Condé was approximately 3.15 meters in height and was decorated with figures (now lacking on this lot) and with a mask of Saturn in gilt-bronze. The apparent difference in size between the Condé clock and this one could be accounted for the later addition of the musical plinth which may have replaced earlier bases for the feet.
The clock disappears from the records after 1723 and reappears in 1896 in a sale of the collection of Mademoiselle de Choiseul. The preface to the second part, where the régulateur was listed, included objets appartenant à divers'. The furniture in this part of the sale came from the collections Dreyfus, Redorte, Strauss, de Boisgelin, de Meffay, etc. indicating that the régulateur came from one of these collection, though it is not possible to ascertain which one.
THE ARMOIRE-REGULATEUR
The second possibility is that the régulateur was originally intended as part of an armoire or cabinet-bibliothèque. The traces of some modification to the base support this theory. It is possible that the present clock was made for one of these armoires and was removed from its framing in the late 18th century by an ébéniste such as Étienne Levasseur (1721-1798) or Philippe-Claude Montigny (1734-1800) both of whom specialized during this period in restoring and also imitating Boulle works.
In the 1715 acte de délaissement between Boulle and his children there was listed: 'une grande armoire de marquetterie et de bronze à deuz portes séparées par une pendulle à secondes faitte et preste à dorer à la réserve du cadran et de tous les ornamens valant 5,000 livres. La contrepartie de la même armoire pareillement avancée valant 4,000 livres.' It seems likely that this pair of armoires was commissioned by the same client. The names of Moyse-Augustin de Fontanieu (1662-1725) and Jean Delpech (died 1737) have been connected with this commission but lack of documentary evidence has made it impossible to supply any definite proof. Meanwhile, a third armoire, (assuming that it isn't already one of the pair mentioned above) is also described in the 1741 inventory of the Secretary of the King, Vallé de la Mothe Sait Jean: 'une très grande armoire à deux portes avec une pendule de grande vibration, le tout de marquetrie de Boulle garnie de bronze d'or moulu 1400 livres.'
An armoire of the same type is mentioned in a very rare supplement to the catalogue of the sale of the collection of Blondel d'Azincourt on 10 February 1783, lot 505.
A pair of armoires is also described in a sale of the dealer Donjeux on 29 April 1793. The example in contre-partie, lot 546, is probably that which is now in the Wallace collection (illustrated in F.J.B. Watson, The Wallace Collection Catalogues: Furniture, London, 1956, F. 429, pl. 117) and the première partie example may be the one formerly in the Jean Saidman collection.
THE PRINCE DE CONDÉ'S REGULATEUR
It is possible to date the present régulateur to the early years of the eighteenth century and to propose two theories regarding its manufacture. The first possibility (advanced by Pradère, op.cit., p. 102) is that it was commissioned by Louis XIV's cousin, the prince de Condé. On September 25th, 1707 the prince paid 'au Sr. Boulle ébéniste la somme de 1,400 livres pour une boîte de marquetrie qu'il a faite pour la pendule de la chambre jaune de SAS à l'hôtel de Condé'. On the 5th of August, 1708 he paid 'au sieur Raby, horologer, la somme, de 600 livres, prix fait avec lui pour la pendule à secondes sonnant les quartes et à répétition, qu'il a faite pour la boîte à pendule de marquetrie qui est dans la chambre jaune de l'appartement de SAS à l'hôtel de Condé'. The prince died the following year. In an inventory of the Petit Luxembourg Palace it was listed as: 'une grande pendule à lentille de marquetrie avec ornaments de figures di bronze doré d'or moulu fait par Raby, 1500.'
The Prince's widow Marie-Anne de Bavière, princess de Condé, apparently kept the régulateur in the grande salon of the same residence, as in 1723 it was listed in this location in her posthumous inventory: 'une grande pendule à lentille à grande vibration faite par Raby à Paris dont la boette de marquetrie d'ébéne et cuivre ornée de moulure et masque et de neuf pieds trois quart de haut les dits ornemens dorez d'or moulu ouvrage de Boulle, 1500 livres.'
In the 1732 inventory after Boulle's death there was a description of: 'item 47 - une boeste de modèles de grande teste de saturne avec des ornements de la pendule à secondes de Mr. le Prince de Condé pesant 16 livres.'
From all this evidence we can conclude that the régulateur of the prince de Condé was approximately 3.15 meters in height and was decorated with figures (now lacking on this lot) and with a mask of Saturn in gilt-bronze. The apparent difference in size between the Condé clock and this one could be accounted for the later addition of the musical plinth which may have replaced earlier bases for the feet.
The clock disappears from the records after 1723 and reappears in 1896 in a sale of the collection of Mademoiselle de Choiseul. The preface to the second part, where the régulateur was listed, included objets appartenant à divers'. The furniture in this part of the sale came from the collections Dreyfus, Redorte, Strauss, de Boisgelin, de Meffay, etc. indicating that the régulateur came from one of these collection, though it is not possible to ascertain which one.
THE ARMOIRE-REGULATEUR
The second possibility is that the régulateur was originally intended as part of an armoire or cabinet-bibliothèque. The traces of some modification to the base support this theory. It is possible that the present clock was made for one of these armoires and was removed from its framing in the late 18th century by an ébéniste such as Étienne Levasseur (1721-1798) or Philippe-Claude Montigny (1734-1800) both of whom specialized during this period in restoring and also imitating Boulle works.
In the 1715 acte de délaissement between Boulle and his children there was listed: 'une grande armoire de marquetterie et de bronze à deuz portes séparées par une pendulle à secondes faitte et preste à dorer à la réserve du cadran et de tous les ornamens valant 5,000 livres. La contrepartie de la même armoire pareillement avancée valant 4,000 livres.' It seems likely that this pair of armoires was commissioned by the same client. The names of Moyse-Augustin de Fontanieu (1662-1725) and Jean Delpech (died 1737) have been connected with this commission but lack of documentary evidence has made it impossible to supply any definite proof. Meanwhile, a third armoire, (assuming that it isn't already one of the pair mentioned above) is also described in the 1741 inventory of the Secretary of the King, Vallé de la Mothe Sait Jean: 'une très grande armoire à deux portes avec une pendule de grande vibration, le tout de marquetrie de Boulle garnie de bronze d'or moulu 1400 livres.'
An armoire of the same type is mentioned in a very rare supplement to the catalogue of the sale of the collection of Blondel d'Azincourt on 10 February 1783, lot 505.
A pair of armoires is also described in a sale of the dealer Donjeux on 29 April 1793. The example in contre-partie, lot 546, is probably that which is now in the Wallace collection (illustrated in F.J.B. Watson, The Wallace Collection Catalogues: Furniture, London, 1956, F. 429, pl. 117) and the première partie example may be the one formerly in the Jean Saidman collection.