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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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A very beautiful and rare Louis XVI gilt bronze and while marble figural column clock with calendar indications of eight day duration, signed on the white enamel dial Gavelle L’Aîné à Paris. The beautiful main dial attributed to the eminent enamellist Dubuisson with painted blue and radiating gold palmette and beaded centre with black Arabic numerals and a fine pair of pierced gilt brass hands for the hours and minutes. The equally beautiful blue and gilt painted enamel calendar disc, attributed to Dubuisson, fitted into the end of a drum, which is played by a surmounting winged putti, the dial showing 31 days of the month indicated by a baton held in the putti’s right hand. The clock movement with silk thread suspension, anchor escapement, striking on the hour and half hour on a single bell, with outside count wheel. The very unusual calendar mechanism activated by a rod connected between the clock movement and a mechanism in the drum and powered by the clock strike, the days changing on the stroke of midnight. The gilt beaded hour and minute dial bezel surrounded by a beaded band and surmounted by a ribbon-tied wreath mounted upon a fluted white marble pillar with lower gilt mounted acanthus band, the marble column surmounted by a gilt brass winged putti playing a drum and balanced on one foot on a small circular base. The whole on a rectangular white marble base on turned gilt feet Paris, date circa 1775 Height 45.5 cm, width 18 cm, depth 12 cm. Pierre Gavelle, known as Gavelle L’Aîné (1753-1802) was the son of a renowned Parisian watch case maker Jean-Jacques Gavelle (b. circa 1725 d. 1798) and brother of another watch case and clock maker Maurice-Jacques, known as Gavelle Le Jeune (d. after 1820). Like his father and brother, Gavelle L’Aîné excelled as a watch case maker. He also produced complete clocks often fitted with a complex mechanical movement. Many, as here, were of remarkable quality and combined beautiful enamels, marble or biscuit porcelain. Given the quality of his production examples of his work can be found in such eminent collections as Pavlovsk Palace Russia, the Musée de Jacquemart-André in Paris and at Chaalis. Gavelle L’Aîné was born in Paris, where he was received as a maître in 1771 and later in 1785, like his father was made a député of his guild. Until 1787 he worked with his father at rue de la Huchette and then established a separate concern at rue Saint-Denis. The year before he died he was recorded at rue des Juifs. The outstanding quality of the enamel dials corresponds to the work of the Etienne Gobin, known as Dubuisson (b. 1731 d. after 1815) whose eminent career is described in more detail on page ? (old 38). |