An overview on Deverberie & Cie
Compiled by Fred Kats 2019


 

Jean Simon Deverberie

Disigner Bronzier Horloger  á Paris 
 
1764-1824

Pendule America Deverberie
Courtesy 'La pendulerie' Exceptional clocks, Paris.



Jean Simon Deverberie (1764-1824) was one of the most important Parisian bronziers of the late 18th century.

 Paris trade almanac.
Deverberie is listed from 1798 to 1823 in the Paris Trade Almanac at 483 rue Barbette in the Marais district, at the time occupied by a population of artisans and workers, Boulevard Du Temple (1801), 47 Rue des Fosses-du-Temple (1804), 30 Rue des Fosses-du-Temple (1806) now rue Amelot, in the eleventh arrondissement.

Deverberie 47  Rue des Fosses du Temple.

Since 1812 Rue des Fosses du Temple no. 47

The spelling of his name varies: De Verberie, Deverberie, Verbery or Verberie, as well as the trades attributed to him; clockmaker, founder, gilder, manufacturer and bronze dealer.

 Freedom of enterprise.
Due to the abolition of mandatory Guild membership, as laid down by Le Chapelier's law in 1791, Deverberie together with Jean George Hertzog, was able to carry out more than one profession within one company.
Although Deverberie himself made clocks, he also produced clocks with movements and dials from renowned clockmakers such as; Henri Lepaute, Jean-Antoine Lépine, Jean-Claude Lemoine, Marc Sandoz and Nicolas-Pierre-François Dubuc.
On Nivôse 23 of the year VII (January 12, 1799) Deverberie officially registered thirteen of his designs, followed by others later.

 Structures and patterns.
The structures and patterns of the pieces he shapes are varied. In the style of the Ancien Régime with lyre clocks or pastoral scenes dear to Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793), it also follows the new trends of the Directoire era and those of the Empire style with clocks on the theme "return from Egypt" or in the form of chariots whose wheel serves as a dial.
He draws his inspiration from Greco-Roman mythology. Gods and goddesses, Graces and Lovers adorn his creations such as Bacchus, Hera or Cupid that he represents as a painter or blacksmith. Some works evoke episodes from the stories of Homer or Ovid, such as Ganymede and Zeus, Leda and the Swan, others are allegories of the sciences or arts in the guise of the muses Thalie and Uranie.

 America and Africa.
Deverberie & Cie. has become most famous for his clock cases depicting African and American natives. In addition to Deverberie, his contemporary Jean-André Reiche (1752-1817) also worked in this style.
They were one of the first to use the theme of the "noble savage" for a clock case, also called Pendule "L'Afrique" or Pendule "Au Nègre".
These were created in a historical and social context of slow awakening of consciousness since the Revolution abolished slavery in France in 1792 but that Napoleon restored it in 1802.
Although he popularized this genre, Deverberie was not the inventor of this type of clocks, since there are earlier examples like those of Charles Voisin (1685-1761) and Jean-Baptiste-André Furet (1720-1807).

 Robinson Crusoe.
Tales of travel such as Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe", theories of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) and writings of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (1737-1814) formed the source of inspiration for these mantel clocks in the period from 1795 to 1815. Clockmakers seized this theme as it offered them the opportunity to draw an aesthetic advantage of the contrast of patinas. Black for the skin of the natives and gilded for accessories.

 Economic crisis.
Documents dd 28 nov. 1803 concerning Deverberie's financial trouble, list many illustrious sub contractors as his creditors and hint at the importance of Deverberie's firm, but also illustrates he barely survived the economic crisis at the beginning of the 19th century. Fortunately his clocks with exotic subjects were quit sought after, hence produced in substantial quantities.

 Catalogue de vente.
Thanks to their release on the Digital library of the French Institut National d'Histoire d'Art, here below an overview of clock case model engravings sourced from Deverberie's so called 'catalogue de vente'.




MODÈLES DE
PENDULES

De la Maison Deverberie

 

Summary of the
Catalogue de vente


Published after Deverberie moved to
Rue des Fosses du Temple.


Courtesy INHA Institut National d'Histoire d'Art   Link to source document




 7. Pendule lyre avec pieds en forme de pattes de bouc
 Lyre Mantel clock with feet shaped like goat's feet
Courtesy INHA

 

 8. Pendule avec deux aigles.
Mantel clock with two eagles
Courtesy INHA

 

 9. Pendule soutenu par deux putti.
Mantel clock supported by two putti.
Courtesy INHA



10. Pendule avec deux putti portant des brûleurs d'encens sur la tête.
Mantel clock with two putti carrying incense burners on his head
Courtesy INHA

 

 
11. Pendule avec deux cygnes.
Mantel clock with two swans.
Courtesy INHA 

 

12. Pendule lyre avec masque de Méduse.
Lyre Mantel clock with Medusa mask.
Courtesy INHA 

Pendule avec un masque de Méduse et ornements floraux

13. Pendule avec un masque de Méduse et ornements floraux.
Mantel clock with a Medusa mask and floral ornaments.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule dite du Négrillon porteur. 

14. Pendule dite du Négrillon porteur.
Mantel clock known as the Negrillon bearer.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Cupidon peignant un lion.

 15. Pendule avec Cupidon peignant un lion.
Mantel clock with cupid painting a lion.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Cupidon et Minerve enlacés.

16. Pendule avec Cupidon et Minerve enlacés.
 Mantel clock with Cupid and Minerva entwined.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec ornements floraux et végétaux.

17. Pendule avec ornements floraux et végétaux.
Mantel clock with floral and plant ornaments.
Courtesy INHA 

Pendule dite des deux Négrillons soutenant un portique.

18. Pendule dite des deux Négrillons soutenant un portique.
Mantel clock known as two Negrillons supporting a portico.
Courtesy INHA


Pendule avec enfants jouant de la double flûte.

19. Pendule avec enfants jouant de la double flûte.
 Mantel clock with children playing double flute.
Courtesy INHA

 

End of this section, click here to continue.


This article is subject to ongoing revisions.

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Contents
 
Paris trade almanac
Freedom of enterprise
Structures and patterns
America and Africa
Robinson Crusoe
Economic crisis
Catalogue de vente
   
Index on model keywords.
 
7 Feet shaped like goat's feet.
8 Two eagles.
9 Supported by two putti.
10 Two putti carrying incense burners on his head.
11 Two swans.
12 Lyre with Medusa mask.
13 Medusa mask and floral ornaments.
14 Negrillon bearer.
15 Cupid painting a lion.
16 Cupid and Minerva entwined.
17 Floral and plant ornaments.
18 Two Negrillons supporting a portico.
19 Children playing double flute.
20 Allegory of America.
21 Allegory of Africa.
22 Return from Egypt.
23 Child carrying a torch, and his dog.
24 Cupid as blacksmith.
25 Urania, allegory of astronomy.
26 Bacchus.
27 Thalia, allegory of comedy.
28 Hera.
29 Allegory of sculpture.
30 Two Indians entwined.
31 Ganymede and Zeus turned into an eagle.
32 Leda and the swan.
33 Embracing couple.
34 Temple portal.
35 Aphrodite on her chariot.
36 Shepherds and their dogs.
37 Hera on her chariot.
   
  Aknowledgments

  Back to end of previous section.


Pendule avec allégorie de l'Amérique.

20. Pendule avec allégorie de l'Amérique.
 Mantel clock with Allegory of America.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec allégorie de l'Afrique.
 
21. Pendule avec allégorie de l'Afrique.
Mantel clock with allegory of Africa.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec décor Retour d'Egypte.

22. Pendule avec décor Retour d'Egypte.
Mantel clock with decoration Return from Egypt.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec enfant portant un flambeau et son chien.

23. Pendule avec enfant portant un flambeau et son chien.
Mantel clock with child carrying a torch, and his dog.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Cupidon forgeron.

24. Pendule avec Cupidon forgeron.
Mantel clock with Cupid the blacksmith.
Courtesy INHA

Mantel clock with Urania, allegory of astronomy.

25. Pendule avec Uranie, allégorie de l'astronomie.
Mantel clock with Urania, allegory of astronomy.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Bacchus.

26. Pendule avec Bacchus.
Mantel clock with Bacchus.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Thalie, allégorie de la comédie.

27. Pendule avec Thalie, allégorie de la comédie.
Mantel clock with Thalia, allegory of comedy.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Héra.

28. Pendule avec Héra.
Mantel clock with Hera.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec allégorie de la sculpture.

29. Pendule avec allégorie de la sculpture.
Mantel clock with allegory of sculpture.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Indien et Indienne enlacés.

30. Pendule avec Indien et Indienne enlacés.
Mantel clock with male and female Indian entwined.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Ganymède et Zeus transformé en aigle.

31. Pendule avec Ganymède et Zeus transformé en aigle.
Mantel clock with Ganymede and Zeus turned into an eagle. Courtesy INHA



32. Pendule avec Léda et le cygne.
Mantel clock with Leda and the swan.
Courtesy INHA



33. Pendule avec couple enlacé.
Mantel clock with embracing couple.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule en forme de portail de temple.

34. Pendule en forme de portail de temple.
Mantel clock shaped temple portal.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Aphrodite sur son char.

35. Pendule avec Aphrodite sur son char.
Mantel clock with Aphrodite on her chariot.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec couple de bergers et leurs chiens.

36. Pendule avec couple de bergers et leurs chiens.
Mantel clock with a couple of shepherds and their dogs.
Courtesy INHA

Pendule avec Héra sur son char.

37. Pendule avec Héra sur son char.
Mantel clock with Hera on her chariot.
Courtesy INHA 



  
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This compilation is derived from various printed and online sources as mentioned below.

- Elodie Desserie INHA Deverberie, un horloger de son temps.
- La pendulerie  Exceptional clocks, Paris.
- Jean-Dominique Augarde, Les Ouvriers du temps: la pendule à Paris de Louis XIV à Napoléon 1er, Genève, Antiquorum, 1996.
- Marie-Christine Delacroix, Les Pendules au Nègre Août 1978.
- Pierre Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française du Moyen Age au XXe siècle, Paris, Éditions de l'Amateur, 1997.
- Richard Redding Antiques,  Madetswil, Switzerland.
- Dr. Crott auktionen Mannheim.
- Kollenburg Antiquairs BV Oirschot The Netherlands.
-
Béatrice Mura, Les Pendules au Nègre à l'Heure de Deverberie, Novembre 1990, p. 34-45.
- Musée de l'Hôtel Sandelin, La pendule au nègre exposition 29 avril-12 juin 1978, Saint-Omer, Le Musée, 1978.
- Harm Botje, Planetarium Zuylenburgh, Jean-Simon De Verberie and the Pendules au Nègre.
- Charlotte Vignon, Deverberie & Cie: Drawings, Models, and Works in Bronze, Cleveland Studies in the History of Art, vol. 8, 2003, p. 170–187.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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