Lot Essay
Ardiot, recorded Paris, Cour des Moynes, St. Germain, 1773
An identical organ movement (apart from some minor differences associated with the clock movement) is fitted in one of the two birdcage clocks at Waddesdon Manor. This movement is thought to be Swiss and probably by Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-90), a specialist in this field in the second half of the 18th Century. He had already perfected a mechanical canary bird by 1758 and on a promotional tour in Europe that year, he sold to Ferdinand VI of Spain a bracket clock known as Le Berger fitted with a canary which sang eight tunes and moved its beak and body. He established a network of agents in various cities, including London, and had business links in China and Turkey. An article in the 1789 edition of the Almanach de Gotha gave the following comment on his automata: 'J'ai vu dans son attelier des serins de Canarie artificiels, qui sautillent dans des cages, & sifflent différens airs, avec tous les mouvemens naturels du bec, du gosier, & du corps; il les envoye à Constantinople, & en a déjà vendu un grand nombre, pour le sérail du grand seigneur' (sic) (G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Fribourg, 1974, vol. I, pp.164-169).
Such clocks were also made by Richard in Paris. One signed by him and dated 1757, was formerly in the collection of the Earl of Rosebery at Mentmore, sold Sotheby's house sale, 18-27 May 1977, lot 49.
This clock probably dates from the 1780's, the probable date of the Waddesdon birdcage clocks. This is supported by the decoration of the Paris porcelain base which appears to derive from Sèvres designs of the late 1760's and 1770's.
An identical organ movement (apart from some minor differences associated with the clock movement) is fitted in one of the two birdcage clocks at Waddesdon Manor. This movement is thought to be Swiss and probably by Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-90), a specialist in this field in the second half of the 18th Century. He had already perfected a mechanical canary bird by 1758 and on a promotional tour in Europe that year, he sold to Ferdinand VI of Spain a bracket clock known as Le Berger fitted with a canary which sang eight tunes and moved its beak and body. He established a network of agents in various cities, including London, and had business links in China and Turkey. An article in the 1789 edition of the Almanach de Gotha gave the following comment on his automata: 'J'ai vu dans son attelier des serins de Canarie artificiels, qui sautillent dans des cages, & sifflent différens airs, avec tous les mouvemens naturels du bec, du gosier, & du corps; il les envoye à Constantinople, & en a déjà vendu un grand nombre, pour le sérail du grand seigneur' (sic) (G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Fribourg, 1974, vol. I, pp.164-169).
Such clocks were also made by Richard in Paris. One signed by him and dated 1757, was formerly in the collection of the Earl of Rosebery at Mentmore, sold Sotheby's house sale, 18-27 May 1977, lot 49.
This clock probably dates from the 1780's, the probable date of the Waddesdon birdcage clocks. This is supported by the decoration of the Paris porcelain base which appears to derive from Sèvres designs of the late 1760's and 1770's.