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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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A magnificent Louis XVgilt bronze Grand Cartel clock signed on the white enamel dial Charles Du Tettte and housed in a beautiful case by the esteemed bronzier Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, signed SAINT GERMAIN. The dial with blue Roman and Arabic numerals and a fine pair of blued steel hands for the hours and minutes. The scrolled rocaille case surmounted by two doves in a trellised arbour, the sides set with foliate scrolls above a shaped glared pendulum aperture and floral and foliate scrolls below Paris, date area 1755-60 Height 68 cm, width 33 cm. Literature: Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Proschel, "Vergoldete Bronzen", 1986, p. 116, pi. 2.5.8, illustrating a very similar Grand Cartel clock with case by St. Germain, signed on the dial La Croix a Paris. Pierre Kjellberg, "Encydopedie de la Pendule Francaise du Moyen Age au XXe Siecle", 1997, p. 95, pi. F, illustrating a comparable clock case by St. Germain and p. 100, pi. A, illustrating another similar case with doves and additional putti below. Both the case and movement were made by the very finest craftsmen of their day. Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain (1719-91) was one of the most esteemed Parisian fondeur-ciseleurs, while Charles Du Tertre (d. before 1778) was a very important member of a renowned clockmaking family. Interestingly Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, known as St. Germain came from a furniture-making family. He was the son of the ebeniste, Joseph de Saint-Germain (maitre 1750) and in turn married Anne Legrand (d. 1799), the widow of the ebeniste, J.-P. Mathieu. St. Germain is also recorded working for Claude-Joseph Desgodets (maitre-ebeniste 1749) who specialised in making clock cases. Although St. Germain was active from about 174-2 he was not received as a maitrefondeur-cis eleur until 1748. At first he spedalisedin the creation of fine Louis XV rocaille style cases, for example the 'Diana, the Huntress' cartel (Musee du Louvn, Paris), the 'Chinese' clock (Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Lyon) and both the 'Elephant' and 'Rhinoceros' clock (Musee du Louvre, Paris). In later career he played an equally important role in the Neo-classical movement and cast for instance the renowned 'Genius of Denmark' clock (1765, Amalienborg, Copenhagen). From about 1760 up until his retirement in 1776, Som Germain created a number of clocks featuring the subject of learning, of which one can find examples in the Musee du Louvre, Paris, Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon and the Metropolitan Museum, New York. As one of the very finest craftsmen, St. Germain's cases could only be afforded by important clockmakers such as Du Tertre. Charles-Nicolas Du Tertre, known as Charles was the son of Nicolas-Charles (1715-9 3), grandson of Jean-Baptiste I Du Tertre (1684-1734) and nephew of the maitre-horlogers, Jean-Baptiste II (d 1773) and Jean Abraham (d. 1778). Charles was received as a maitre in 1758 and worked predominantly with his father at Quai de I'Ecole. He used cases by the best makers including St. Germain as well as Robert and Jean-Baptiste Osmond, Michel Poisson, Jean-Baptiste Gaulier and Etienne Portellette. In turn he supplied movements to the marchand-mercier, Daguerre and was also patronised by royalty and aristocracy. The comte d'Artois, Prince Charles de Lorraine, the marquise de Langeac, Monsieur Grimod de la Reyniere, Lalive de Bellegarde and Soillier all owned his work. His clocks are now housed in a number of important collections such as the Musee de Chateau de Versailles, the Musee Nissim-de-Camondo and Mobilier National in Paris, as well as the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. http://www.richardreddingantiques.com/collection/horology/gilt-bronze-carte-signed-st-germain |
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