A CLASSICAL MANTEL CLOCK FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET

Details

A CLASSICAL MANTEL CLOCK FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET
SIGNED ON THE DIAL DUBUC, RUE MICHEL-LE-COMTE, NO. 35 A PARIS

Portraying George Washington standing on moulded plinth, the freize with applied relief depicting Washington's farewell to his officers flanked by palm fronds, each side applied with laurel wreath, the case surmounted by the American Eagle displayed and enhanced with trophy of arms and drapery swag inscribed, "Washington/First in WAR, First in PEACE/First in the HEARTS of his COUNTRYMEN", the circular white enamel dial with roman chapters and Breguet hands, the movement with thread suspended pendulum to anchor escapement, striking the hours and half hours on bells by means of countwheel, c. 1810--19 1/4in. high

Lot Essay

There are approximately ten published examples of similar clocks, many of them signed DuBuc à Paris. The White House has two similar clocks; a nearly identical piece in the James Monroe Sitting Room, and a smaller version in the Diplomatic Reception Room. See also: the Hammond-Harwood House, MD; Winterthur, the Baltimore Drawing Room, DE; and Mount Clare, MD. All of these clocks have variations in detail, although the overall design incorporates the same main elements, suggesting that these clocks were made to order through a bronzier.

A bronzier with the surname DuBuc is recorded working by 1786. A Jean-Baptiste DuBuc (b. 1743) was maitre-horloger to the Compte d'Artois, brother of Louis XVI, and although he is recorded only to 1798, a DuBuc l'aine, a pendulier, occupied several premises in the neighborhood of St. Martin-des-Champs (an area favored by bronze workers) and from 1806-1817 DuBuc l'aine is found in the rue Michel-le-Comte.