A CHARLES X ORMOLU-MOUNTED SEVRES PORCELAIN MANTEL CLOCK ACQUIRED BY THE DUC D'ORLEANS IN 1826, the scenic plaques painted Rumeau, the border plaques painted by Charles-Antoîne Didier, the circular ring-dial with Roman numerals painted in the centre with a courting couple in a landscape, the foliate-cast bezel set within a rectangular plinth between stiff-leaf-headed demi-columns and surmounted by a Gothic rotunda with balustrade and flaming-finial, the frieze depicting a grotesque-mask issuing scrolled arabesques and between star-studded panelled pilaster-strips surmounted by pointed finials joined by a pierced balustrade, the body with a central arched plaque painted with a nobleman feasting in a domed, vaulted hall with courtiers in attendance, inscribed MIDI ou LE REPAS du milieu du jour, signed and dated Rumeau en 1824, one side decorated with a monk ringing a church bell with huntsmen outside, inscribed LE MATIN ou LA MESSE avant la chasse, the other with musicians, jugglers and jesters inscribed LE SOIR ou LES AMUSEMENTS d'une soirée, on a foliate gadrooned plinth and strapwork-scrolled entwined seated griffin-supports resting on rectangular pedestals, the porcelain marked with the Sèvres interlaced Ls and inscribed Sèvres 24 beneath a fleur-de-lys, with incised marks Le 12o4, one signed Didier HB (?) 1824. 28.7=, another D, another Di, another N4... no. 8 ...quilliez 71810, another Le 12oZ, with a later piece of wood to the carcase stamped MADE IN ENGLAND11¾in. (30cm.) wide; 25½in. (65cm.) high; 6in. (15.5cm.) deep

A CHARLES X ORMOLU-MOUNTED SEVRES PORCELAIN MANTEL CLOCK ACQUIRED BY THE DUC D'ORLEANS IN 1826, the scenic plaques painted Rumeau, the border plaques painted by Charles-Antoîne Didier, the circular ring-dial with Roman numerals painted in the centre with a courting couple in a landscape, the foliate-cast bezel set within a rectangular plinth between stiff-leaf-headed demi-columns and surmounted by a Gothic rotunda with balustrade and flaming-finial, the frieze depicting a grotesque-mask issuing scrolled arabesques and between star-studded panelled pilaster-strips surmounted by pointed finials joined by a pierced balustrade, the body with a central arched plaque painted with a nobleman feasting in a domed, vaulted hall with courtiers in attendance, inscribed MIDI ou LE REPAS du milieu du jour, signed and dated Rumeau en 1824, one side decorated with a monk ringing a church bell with huntsmen outside, inscribed LE MATIN ou LA MESSE avant la chasse, the other with musicians, jugglers and jesters inscribed LE SOIR ou LES AMUSEMENTS d'une soirée, on a foliate gadrooned plinth and strapwork-scrolled entwined seated griffin-supports resting on rectangular pedestals, the porcelain marked with the Sèvres interlaced Ls and inscribed Sèvres 24 beneath a fleur-de-lys, with incised marks Le 12o4, one signed Didier HB (?) 1824. 28.7=, another D, another Di, another N4... no. 8 ...quilliez 71810, another Le 12oZ, with a later piece of wood to the carcase stamped MADE IN ENGLAND 11¾in. (30cm.) wide; 25½in. (65cm.) high; 6in. (15.5cm.) deep

Details

A CHARLES X ORMOLU-MOUNTED SEVRES PORCELAIN MANTEL CLOCK ACQUIRED BY THE DUC D'ORLEANS IN 1826, the scenic plaques painted Rumeau, the border plaques painted by Charles-Antoîne Didier, the circular ring-dial with Roman numerals painted in the centre with a courting couple in a landscape, the foliate-cast bezel set within a rectangular plinth between stiff-leaf-headed demi-columns and surmounted by a Gothic rotunda with balustrade and flaming-finial, the frieze depicting a grotesque-mask issuing scrolled arabesques and between star-studded panelled pilaster-strips surmounted by pointed finials joined by a pierced balustrade, the body with a central arched plaque painted with a nobleman feasting in a domed, vaulted hall with courtiers in attendance, inscribed MIDI ou LE REPAS du milieu du jour, signed and dated Rumeau en 1824, one side decorated with a monk ringing a church bell with huntsmen outside, inscribed LE MATIN ou LA MESSE avant la chasse, the other with musicians, jugglers and jesters inscribed LE SOIR ou LES AMUSEMENTS d'une soirée, on a foliate gadrooned plinth and strapwork-scrolled entwined seated griffin-supports resting on rectangular pedestals, the porcelain marked with the Sèvres interlaced Ls and inscribed Sèvres 24 beneath a fleur-de-lys, with incised marks Le 12^o4, one signed Didier HB (?) 1824. 28.7=, another D, another Di, another N4... no. 8 ...quilliez 71810, another Le 12oZ, with a later piece of wood to the carcase stamped MADE IN ENGLAND
11¾in. (30cm.) wide; 25½in. (65cm.) high; 6in. (15.5cm.) deep

Provenance

Acquired by the duc d'Orléans on 11 May 1826 at a cost of 4,000 francs
Almost certainly acquired by Lord Ardilaun (d.1915).
Thence by descent to Bishop Plunket, St. Ann's, Clontarf, Dublin, sold Jackson, Stops & McCabe, house sale, September 1939, lot 932

Lot Essay

Rumeau, flourished 1815-24
Charles-Antoine Didier, flourished 1819-47

This mantel clock was manufactured at Sèvres in 1824 and was placed in the showrooms on 18 December 1824 at an asking price of 4,000 francs (Manufacture Nationalade de Sèvres, Archives, Registre vvi, folio 226, no. 76). It was exhibited at the Louvre on 21 February 1825, where it was described as:-

UNE PENDULE de Cheminée pour salon, en plaques de porcelaine peintes, montées en bronze doré Hauteur du cent ... 4000 Largeur à la base Forme, ajustement, monture et ornements dans le style lombard.
Les trois époques de la journée, le matin, le midi et le soir, vers le XIe. siècle
Le matin - Départ d'un chevalier pour la chasse. Il s'arrête pour entendre la messe dans une chapelle dédiée à Saint Hubert, au milieu des bois
Le midi - Le diner d'un grand seigneur. Le seigneur ou duc est au milieu, les convives ont sur la tête un chapet ou chapeau garni de fleurs disposees en couronnes.
Les mets sont apportés en cortège par les gentils-hommes servants, precédès d'un huissier.
Le pannetier portant une serviette sur l'épaule gauche les pose sur la table. L'écuyer tranchant avec une serviette sur le col est de l'autre côte-près du buffet, dont seul il peut approcher pour déposer son chaperon et se laver les mains.
L'échanson vient de verser à boire au seigneur dans une corne d'urns, ou taureau sauvage, du nord-est de l'Europe.
La Salle est jonchée de fleurs et de verdure. Elle est ornée de feuillées; des musiciens placés dans une partie distincte de la Salle accompagnent de fantases les santés que l'on porte.
On voit des deux côtés les dressoirs dans lesquels sont placées les pièces et service en or et en argent, richement ornées et exposées ainsi à la rue, comme objet d'ornement.
Le soir, - un troubadour, accompagné d'une troupe de jongleurs, vient occuper la soiré d'un grand seigneur et de sa cour par ses poésies, et l'égayer par les exercices des jongleurs qui l'accompagnent, et qui ont étalé sur le plancher leurs divers instruments.
Le sont composé et peint par M. Rumeau, sur un programme donné.

Following its exhibition at the Louvre, it was acquired at a cost of 4000 francs by 'S.A.R. Mgr. le duc d'Orléans' on 11 May 1826 (Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, Registre v667, folio 106).

A closely related mantel clock, dated 1823, with Sèvres plaques decorated by Jean-Charles Develly, Charles-Antoine Didier fils and François-Antoine Boullemier ainé, was given by Charles X in 1825 as a coronation gift to the English representative, Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland, who displayed it, together with the Sèvres porcelain vase Medicis which he also received from Charles X, at Northumberland House, London, see: B. Shifman, 'Sèvres Porcelain given by Charles X in 1825 to the Duke of Northumberland', Burlington Magazine, June, 1992, pp. 215-9)

St. Ann's, Dublin, was acquired by Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, Bt., in 1835 and was rebuilt in the Italianate style by Lord Ardilaun in 1880. This clock was almost certainly acquired by Lord Ardilaun as it passed by family descent until the sale in 1939, where it was purchased by the vendor's mother-in-law

More from French Furniture

View All