AFTER A DESIGN BY PIERRE-ANTOINE FOULLET, THE MOVEMENT BY JEAN-NICOLAS PETITDANER

Details

A LATE LOUIS XV ORMOLU AND PATINATED BRONZE MANTEL CLOCK
After a design by Pierre-Antoine Foullet, the movement by Jean-Nicolas Petitdaner
The circular white-enamelled Arabic dial signed 'Petitdant A PA ...' within a circular drum case headed by a ribbon-tied berried laurel-garland, resting on a pile of books and a sheet with the zodiac signs, flanked by a seated classical maiden symbolising Astronomy, flanked by a globe and above a plinth deocrated with a Vitruvian scroll border, on a waved rectangular base mounted with rosettes, the movement late 18th Century but associated, lacking small ornament to the base
13 in. (33 cm) high; 15 in. (38 cm.) wide; 6 in. (15 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.

Lot Essay

This clock is closely related to the design from the workshop of Pierre-Antoine Foullet of circa 1760-65, which appears to be one of his earliest neo-classical designs. This early date is confirmed by the clocks appearance in the chambre du lit of the duc de Choiseuil's hôtel, where it is depicted on the cover of the Choiseuil golden box, painted by Louis Nicolas van Blarenberghe circa 1770. A related clock after Foullet's design is in the Gulbenkian Museum, Lissabon (H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et.al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986 vol. I, p. 162, figs 3.3.6 and 3.3.7), and further example with a movement by Henri Voisin is illustrated in Tardy, La Pendule Française, Paris 1969, vol. II, p. 241. A comparable clock was sold by the Marquess of Cholmondeley K.C.V.O., M.C., D.L.T., in these Rooms, 12 April 1984, lot 36 and a further example was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 8 December 1994, lot 505

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