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Lot Essay
The Gaudron clockmaker dynasty was established by Antoine Gaudron, maître en 1675. The workshop on the Ile de la Cité was one of André-Charles Boulle's most prominent clients for his clock cases.
The design appears in - Pendule propre pour une chambre - published by Mariette in his Nouveaux Desseins de Meubles et Ouvrages de Bronze et Marquetrie Inventés et Gravés par André-Charles Boulle, 1724. The design for this clock by André-Charles Boulle evolved from an earlier type of clock produced by him from the 1690s. The closest resemblance to the engraving is borne by the clock and bracket, previously at Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire and subsequently in the collection of Hubert de Givenchy, sold Christie's, London, 4 December 1993, lot 77. Another with movement by Isaac or Jacques Thuret is part of the Winthrop Edey Bequest, The Frick Collection, New York (The Art of the Timekeeper, 2001). The plaque which adorns most of the examples of the sphinx model depicts the Rape of Cybele by Chronos, who carried her away to Zeus. It is based upon a sculpture by Thomas Reganaudin known as L'Enlèvement de Cybèle or Le Temps enlevant la Vérité, which was delivered for the Orangerie at Versailles in 1678.
Known variants of the sphinx clock include the following:
1 - Château de Versailles, movement by Thuret; surmounted by figure of fame, possibly the example delivered by Thuret to Louis XIV.
2 - Winthrop Edey bequest, The Frick Collection, New York, movement by Thuret, with oil lamp.
3 - Cleveland Museum (Acquisition no. CMA 67.153), the movement by Balthazard Martinot.
4 - Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels, with pedestal, the movement by Gaudron.
5 - Private Collection, sold Palais de Congrès, Versailles, 11 November 1976, lot 77, signed Charles Le Roy.
6 - Private Collection, sold Neumarkt, 12 June 1974, lot 116 and subsequently M. Kohn, Paris (hôtel Drouot), 15 September 2012, lot 100, signed Gribelin.
7 - Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire; sold Christie's, London, 13 December 1981, lot 32; subsequently the collection of Hubert de Givenchy; sold Christie's, London, 4 December 1993, lot 77; sold Sotheby's, London, 5 July 2006, lot 7; with bracket, signed Langlois.
8 - The Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, clockmaker unknown; surmounted by figure of Fame.
9 - Private Collection, Paris (by 1986); sold anonymously at Christie's, London, 14 June 1990, lot 43, signed François Rabby; surmounted by figure of Chronos.
10 - Randon de Boisset sale 27 February 1777, lot 802, movement by Rabby.
11 - Private Collection, Milan, formerly in the collection of Sir Lionel Philips Bt., Tylney Hall, sold Christie's, London, 23 April 1913, lot 100. Possibly the one purchased by the Marquis de Marigny from Lazare Duvaux in December 1757, movement by Moissy.
12 - A further example with movement signed Moissy, sold Thierry de Maigret, Paris, 5 June 2013, lot 119.
13 - The Lord Hillingdon, sold Christie's, London, 17 March 1960, lot 81, with a plaque of two figures of Fame below the dial in place of a Cybele group.
14 - Private Collection, Netherlands; formerly in the collection of the Earl of Essex, Cassiobury Park, Hertfordshire; sold Knight, Frank & Rutley, 12 June 1922, lot 373.
The design appears in - Pendule propre pour une chambre - published by Mariette in his Nouveaux Desseins de Meubles et Ouvrages de Bronze et Marquetrie Inventés et Gravés par André-Charles Boulle, 1724. The design for this clock by André-Charles Boulle evolved from an earlier type of clock produced by him from the 1690s. The closest resemblance to the engraving is borne by the clock and bracket, previously at Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire and subsequently in the collection of Hubert de Givenchy, sold Christie's, London, 4 December 1993, lot 77. Another with movement by Isaac or Jacques Thuret is part of the Winthrop Edey Bequest, The Frick Collection, New York (The Art of the Timekeeper, 2001). The plaque which adorns most of the examples of the sphinx model depicts the Rape of Cybele by Chronos, who carried her away to Zeus. It is based upon a sculpture by Thomas Reganaudin known as L'Enlèvement de Cybèle or Le Temps enlevant la Vérité, which was delivered for the Orangerie at Versailles in 1678.
Known variants of the sphinx clock include the following:
1 - Château de Versailles, movement by Thuret; surmounted by figure of fame, possibly the example delivered by Thuret to Louis XIV.
2 - Winthrop Edey bequest, The Frick Collection, New York, movement by Thuret, with oil lamp.
3 - Cleveland Museum (Acquisition no. CMA 67.153), the movement by Balthazard Martinot.
4 - Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels, with pedestal, the movement by Gaudron.
5 - Private Collection, sold Palais de Congrès, Versailles, 11 November 1976, lot 77, signed Charles Le Roy.
6 - Private Collection, sold Neumarkt, 12 June 1974, lot 116 and subsequently M. Kohn, Paris (hôtel Drouot), 15 September 2012, lot 100, signed Gribelin.
7 - Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire; sold Christie's, London, 13 December 1981, lot 32; subsequently the collection of Hubert de Givenchy; sold Christie's, London, 4 December 1993, lot 77; sold Sotheby's, London, 5 July 2006, lot 7; with bracket, signed Langlois.
8 - The Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, clockmaker unknown; surmounted by figure of Fame.
9 - Private Collection, Paris (by 1986); sold anonymously at Christie's, London, 14 June 1990, lot 43, signed François Rabby; surmounted by figure of Chronos.
10 - Randon de Boisset sale 27 February 1777, lot 802, movement by Rabby.
11 - Private Collection, Milan, formerly in the collection of Sir Lionel Philips Bt., Tylney Hall, sold Christie's, London, 23 April 1913, lot 100. Possibly the one purchased by the Marquis de Marigny from Lazare Duvaux in December 1757, movement by Moissy.
12 - A further example with movement signed Moissy, sold Thierry de Maigret, Paris, 5 June 2013, lot 119.
13 - The Lord Hillingdon, sold Christie's, London, 17 March 1960, lot 81, with a plaque of two figures of Fame below the dial in place of a Cybele group.
14 - Private Collection, Netherlands; formerly in the collection of the Earl of Essex, Cassiobury Park, Hertfordshire; sold Knight, Frank & Rutley, 12 June 1922, lot 373.