A FRENCH DIRECTOIRE ORMOLU AND CARRARA MARBLE PORTICO MANTEL CLOCK

A FRENCH DIRECTOIRE ORMOLU AND CARRARA MARBLE PORTICO MANTEL CLOCK

BY LEPINE, C.1790-1800

the eight day brass drum movement with an outside countwheel and striking to a bell, the backplate inscribed and numbered 'Lepine h.ger du Roi Paris no. 4163', the white enamel dial by Barbichon, with the days of the week in puce, with black Roman hours and Arabic minutes and puce dates, signed 'Lepine H.ger du Roi' and 'Place des Victoires no.12', with gilt pierced and fleur-de-lis time hands and steel calendar hands, the temple case with chased and gilded bronze mounts, with an eagle surmount above six urns of flowers and a gallery supported by Corinthian columns hung with laurel swags, with two female figures, representing Justice and Fortitude, flanking war trophies, the breakfront base inset with tablets of scrolling leaves and further trophies, on a separate plinth base

73cm high, 49.3cm wide

Provenance

By repute, this clock belonged to a noble North Italian family

Purchased from Art Ancien, Via dei Coronari, Rome, c.1997

The Collection of Sir Jeremy Lever

Catalogue Note

Jean Antoine Lepine (1720-1814) began his horological career in Geneva, later moving to Paris where he was apprenticed to Andre Caron, the King's clockmaker. He subsequently married Caron's daughter in 1756. He received maitre title in 1762 and soon after was appointed to the coveted position of Horologer du Roi for Louis XV. He subsequently served as watchmaker to Louis XVI and Napoleon I. He operated from premises in the rue Saint-Denis and in 1789 moved to 12 Place des Victoires. By this time, the day to day running of the business was handled by his son-in-law Claude-Pierre Raguet-Lepine. There are several clocks by Lepine in the British Royal Collection and according to C. Jagger, Royal Clocks: The British Monarchy and its Timekeepers, Lepine was a favourite clockmaker of George IV who is known to have bought a number of clocks from the firm.