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Lot Essay
Jean-Simon Deverberie's (1764-1824) clock of an Indian huntress was one of a number of designs on the theme of Le bon Sauvage. Other celebrated models include his l'Amèrique and its pendant l'Afrique as well as l'Indien et l'Indienne enlaceés. l'Amèrique, which portrays a blackamoor with an alligator at her feet is of the same design as here but now the exotic personification of America is more closely associated with Diana the mythological huntress with a dog. The so-called rocessional clocks, whereby the dial case is carried by figures, was already used by Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843) in the end of 1780s, depicting the love story Paul et Virginie (see H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen&I, München 1986, p. 280 and . In 1803 Thomire exceeded this type of clocks design in the commission for Napoleon I, who was a great admirer of the love story and intended to give the clock by Thomire to the author Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (E. Niehüser, French bronze clocks, 1700-1830, Münich, 1999, pp. 151-152, figs. 246-247 and P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la Pendule Française du Moyen Age au XXe Siécle, Paris 1997, p. 358, fig. C).
Deverberie was probably the finest bronze manufacturer to produce clock cases on the Le bon Sauvage theme, the first being La Négress, housing a movement by Furet and Godon which was presented to King Louis XVI's wife, Marie-Antoinette in 1784. The present model dates from 1799 and continued in popularity throughout the Empire period. Deverberie who also acted as a marchand-mercier, was by 1800 established at rue Barbet in Paris; four years later he was at Boulevard du Temple and from 1812 until 1824 his business Deverberie & Compagnie was based at rue des Fosse du Temple.
Tardy, Les Plus Belles Pendules Françaises, 1994, p. 245, illustrating an almost identical case but with a much simpler base and differing dial. Elke Niehüser, Die Französische Bronzeuhr, 1997, p. 152, pls. 248 and 249, showing an identical case with dial signed Invenit et fecit Deverberie rue Barbet Paris and p. 237, pl. 802, illustrating an identical case model and with references to other identical or near identical case models. P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la Pendule Française, Paris 1997, p. 354, pl. A, illustrating an identical case model but with a patinated rather than a gilt bronze dog. Another identical clock can be found in the Musée Franois Duesberg at Mons in Belgium. A comparable clock was sold Sotheby's New York, 10 November 2006, lot 132.
Deverberie was probably the finest bronze manufacturer to produce clock cases on the Le bon Sauvage theme, the first being La Négress, housing a movement by Furet and Godon which was presented to King Louis XVI's wife, Marie-Antoinette in 1784. The present model dates from 1799 and continued in popularity throughout the Empire period. Deverberie who also acted as a marchand-mercier, was by 1800 established at rue Barbet in Paris; four years later he was at Boulevard du Temple and from 1812 until 1824 his business Deverberie & Compagnie was based at rue des Fosse du Temple.
Tardy, Les Plus Belles Pendules Françaises, 1994, p. 245, illustrating an almost identical case but with a much simpler base and differing dial. Elke Niehüser, Die Französische Bronzeuhr, 1997, p. 152, pls. 248 and 249, showing an identical case with dial signed Invenit et fecit Deverberie rue Barbet Paris and p. 237, pl. 802, illustrating an identical case model and with references to other identical or near identical case models. P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la Pendule Française, Paris 1997, p. 354, pl. A, illustrating an identical case model but with a patinated rather than a gilt bronze dog. Another identical clock can be found in the Musée Franois Duesberg at Mons in Belgium. A comparable clock was sold Sotheby's New York, 10 November 2006, lot 132.