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拍品專文
ROBERT ROBIN (1742-1799)
Robert Robin was one of the finest clockmakers of 18th Century France and highly regarded for both the excellence of his work and its ingenuity. The escapement of the present clock is derived from that recorded variously as ‘invented’ by him and published in 1791. Many of the known clocks listed below have later replaced escapements and movements.
Robin was received as a maître horloger on 21 November 1767 by decree of the Council, which exempted him from the apprenticeship qualification, probably because he had already displayed exceptional talent. Other appointments included Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire du Roi in 1783 and Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire de la Reine in 1786. In 1794 he was made clockmaker to the Republic and in 1796 to the Directoire. He made clocks with astronomic indications and adopted decimal timekeeping during the Revolution. J-D. Augarde notes: 'Il appartint au cercle restreint des grands horlogers de la fin du XVIIIe siècle qui apportèrent une contribution particulière au perfectionnement des instruments de la mesure du temps' (Les Ouvriers du Temps, Geneva, 1996, p. 391). His sons, Nicholas (1775-1812) and Jean-Joseph (1781-1856) continued with the business for the first third of the 19th century.
THE PENDULE DE VOYAGE OR DE CAMPAGNE MODEL
On his death the inventories of his stock records: Un lot comprenant un modèle des petites boetes de pendules de compagnes, and these cases were almost certainly executed by either the fondeur Etienne-Jean Forestier (maître in 1764) or one of the ciseleurs-doreurs Jean-Pierre Feuchere (maître in 1767) or Pierre-Philippe Thomire (maître in 1772), who were employed by Robin circa 1783.
From this group a small number of extremely closely related comparable clocks, recorded examples include:
i.) a clock, with porcelain panels to front, sides and back, winding holes to the dial and with three fleur-de-lis, panel beneath dial inscribed Robin Her= du Roy, the movement has been replaced, original leather travelling case, commissioned by Louis XVI for the Palais des Tuileries and possibly owned by Queen Marie-Antoinette. Jones Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, Museum No. 1001&A-1882.
ii.) a clock, with white porcelain panels and gilt Royal monograms and crossed palms, the movement with later platform escapement, signed Lepaute a Paris. Sotheby’s, 24 April 1972, lot 62. (C. Allix and P. Bonnert, Carriage Clocks, Woodbridge, 1974, p. 17.)
iii.) a clock, Sevres porcelain panels, the enamel dial by Coteau, with winding holes and jewelled bezel, panel below dial inscribed Robin / Hr. du Roy and also signed Coteau and dated 1783. Sir Philip Sassoon, Bt. until sold; Works of Art from Houghton, Christie’s, London, 8 December 1994, lot 46 (£95,000).
iv.) a clock, with porcelain panels, the garlanded front panel signed R. Robin / Horloger du Roi. Winding holes below the dial as with the present clock. (Tardy, La Pendule Francaise, 1981, volume II, p. 120).
v.) a clock, with turquoise blue enamel panels, the front panel signed Robin / Hger. Du Roy, the dial by Coteau and dated 1783. Antiquorum, Geneva, 15 October 2006, lot 348 (CHF 146,750).
vi.) a clock, related case with rock crystal columns, jewelled Sevres panels. Collection of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, sold by the Comtesse D’Aubigny, Christie’s, London, 1 July 1976, lot 84.
JOSEPH COTEAU (1740 - 1801)
The present clock is one of three recorded with the enamel panel by Coteau dated 1783. A skilled miniaturist, he discovered a new method for fixing raised gold on porcelain. This distinct style can be seen in the simple swagged classical ornamentation on each of this group of clocks.
Originally from Geneva, he became maître in 1778 and maître-peintre-émailleur at the Académie de St.-Luc in Geneva in 1766. He moved to Paris in 1772, where he was installed in the rue Poupie. By 1780 his name first appears in the kiln records at Sèvres. Coteau was appointed Peintre-émailleur du roi et de la Manufacture Royale de Sèvres circa 1780, and by 1784 his production was considerable, receiving 4520 livres from the Manufacture de Sèvres for executed commissions. The relationship did not last however and by 1784 it was described as an affaire terminée.
Coteau was the most famous and arguably the finest enameller of his day, creating bejewelled dials for the greatest clockmakers. The renowned collector and horologist Winthrop Edey wrote of him: '[He] has remained unequalled... although the best of his successors were able to reach his level of virtuosity, they never achieved his perfect proportions nor his lush sweetness, which was an attribute of the ancien régime alone' (W. Edey, French Clocks in North American Collections, The Frick Collection, New York, 1982, p. 22).
ETIENNE GOBIN, KNOWN AS DUBUISSON (1731 - AFTER 1820)
Intriguingly the present clock bears the names of both Coteau and Dubuisson, two of the most celebrated enamellers of the period, this is unique amongst the known clocks of this model listed above. Dubuisson started at the porcelain manufactories of Strasbourg and Chantilly, working at Sèvres from 1756 to 1759 before having his own Parisian workshop.
Robert Robin was one of the finest clockmakers of 18th Century France and highly regarded for both the excellence of his work and its ingenuity. The escapement of the present clock is derived from that recorded variously as ‘invented’ by him and published in 1791. Many of the known clocks listed below have later replaced escapements and movements.
Robin was received as a maître horloger on 21 November 1767 by decree of the Council, which exempted him from the apprenticeship qualification, probably because he had already displayed exceptional talent. Other appointments included Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire du Roi in 1783 and Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire de la Reine in 1786. In 1794 he was made clockmaker to the Republic and in 1796 to the Directoire. He made clocks with astronomic indications and adopted decimal timekeeping during the Revolution. J-D. Augarde notes: 'Il appartint au cercle restreint des grands horlogers de la fin du XVIIIe siècle qui apportèrent une contribution particulière au perfectionnement des instruments de la mesure du temps' (Les Ouvriers du Temps, Geneva, 1996, p. 391). His sons, Nicholas (1775-1812) and Jean-Joseph (1781-1856) continued with the business for the first third of the 19th century.
THE PENDULE DE VOYAGE OR DE CAMPAGNE MODEL
On his death the inventories of his stock records: Un lot comprenant un modèle des petites boetes de pendules de compagnes, and these cases were almost certainly executed by either the fondeur Etienne-Jean Forestier (maître in 1764) or one of the ciseleurs-doreurs Jean-Pierre Feuchere (maître in 1767) or Pierre-Philippe Thomire (maître in 1772), who were employed by Robin circa 1783.
From this group a small number of extremely closely related comparable clocks, recorded examples include:
i.) a clock, with porcelain panels to front, sides and back, winding holes to the dial and with three fleur-de-lis, panel beneath dial inscribed Robin Her= du Roy, the movement has been replaced, original leather travelling case, commissioned by Louis XVI for the Palais des Tuileries and possibly owned by Queen Marie-Antoinette. Jones Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, Museum No. 1001&A-1882.
ii.) a clock, with white porcelain panels and gilt Royal monograms and crossed palms, the movement with later platform escapement, signed Lepaute a Paris. Sotheby’s, 24 April 1972, lot 62. (C. Allix and P. Bonnert, Carriage Clocks, Woodbridge, 1974, p. 17.)
iii.) a clock, Sevres porcelain panels, the enamel dial by Coteau, with winding holes and jewelled bezel, panel below dial inscribed Robin / Hr. du Roy and also signed Coteau and dated 1783. Sir Philip Sassoon, Bt. until sold; Works of Art from Houghton, Christie’s, London, 8 December 1994, lot 46 (£95,000).
iv.) a clock, with porcelain panels, the garlanded front panel signed R. Robin / Horloger du Roi. Winding holes below the dial as with the present clock. (Tardy, La Pendule Francaise, 1981, volume II, p. 120).
v.) a clock, with turquoise blue enamel panels, the front panel signed Robin / Hger. Du Roy, the dial by Coteau and dated 1783. Antiquorum, Geneva, 15 October 2006, lot 348 (CHF 146,750).
vi.) a clock, related case with rock crystal columns, jewelled Sevres panels. Collection of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, sold by the Comtesse D’Aubigny, Christie’s, London, 1 July 1976, lot 84.
JOSEPH COTEAU (1740 - 1801)
The present clock is one of three recorded with the enamel panel by Coteau dated 1783. A skilled miniaturist, he discovered a new method for fixing raised gold on porcelain. This distinct style can be seen in the simple swagged classical ornamentation on each of this group of clocks.
Originally from Geneva, he became maître in 1778 and maître-peintre-émailleur at the Académie de St.-Luc in Geneva in 1766. He moved to Paris in 1772, where he was installed in the rue Poupie. By 1780 his name first appears in the kiln records at Sèvres. Coteau was appointed Peintre-émailleur du roi et de la Manufacture Royale de Sèvres circa 1780, and by 1784 his production was considerable, receiving 4520 livres from the Manufacture de Sèvres for executed commissions. The relationship did not last however and by 1784 it was described as an affaire terminée.
Coteau was the most famous and arguably the finest enameller of his day, creating bejewelled dials for the greatest clockmakers. The renowned collector and horologist Winthrop Edey wrote of him: '[He] has remained unequalled... although the best of his successors were able to reach his level of virtuosity, they never achieved his perfect proportions nor his lush sweetness, which was an attribute of the ancien régime alone' (W. Edey, French Clocks in North American Collections, The Frick Collection, New York, 1982, p. 22).
ETIENNE GOBIN, KNOWN AS DUBUISSON (1731 - AFTER 1820)
Intriguingly the present clock bears the names of both Coteau and Dubuisson, two of the most celebrated enamellers of the period, this is unique amongst the known clocks of this model listed above. Dubuisson started at the porcelain manufactories of Strasbourg and Chantilly, working at Sèvres from 1756 to 1759 before having his own Parisian workshop.