Pierre-Basile Lepaute
Provenance
Sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 29th and 30th November 1937, lot 222. Purchased by Professor Guy Ledoux-Lebard, Paris.
A superb Empire gilt and patinated bronze and tôle laquée Oeil de Boeuf cartel clock signed on the white enamel dial Lepaute à Paris and on the movement Lepaute à Paris 18/06 + 11, the circular dial with Arabic numerals and a fine pair of pierced gilt brass hands for the hours and minutes. The movement with silk thread suspension, anchor escapement and striking on the hour and half hour, with outside count wheel. The circular case ornamented with a band of water leaves and gilded stars on a blue lacquer ground
Paris, dated 1806
Diameter 42 cm.
This fine cartel was made by Pierre-Basile Lepaute, known as Sully-Lepaute (1750-1843) who as here signed his clocks Lepaute à Paris. The clock is identical to two others by Sully Lepaute, which were supplied to Napoleon for the Grand Trianon, Versailles where they still hang. Both are illustrated and described in Denise Ledoux-Lebard, "Le Grand Trianon, Meubles et Objets d'Art", 1975, pp. 91 and 111. The first to be delivered (p. 111) measuring 40.5 cm in diameter was made for the Salon de l'Empereur where it still hangs above the fireplace; it is described as: "De l'horloger Lepaute, pour le salon de l'Empereur, du Grand Trianon, livré le 12 mars 1810. Une Pendule forme médaillon, en bronze doré mat, mouvement à sonnerie, cadran de plus de 22 cm diameter. Prix fait à 700 F, appliqué contre le mur de la cheminée". The second (p. 91), delivered a few months later, was to hang above the fireplace in the Salon des Officiers and is described as "Mémoire de Lepaute, oncle et neveu, horloger de S.M. l'Empereur et Roi, à Paris, rue Saint-Thomas-du-Louvre no 42, pour le Grand Trianon, appartement de l'Empereur, salon des Officiers, du 10 août 1810. Avoir fourni et place sur dessus de la cheminée une Pendule forme médaillon en bronze doré mat. Mouvement à sonnerie de plus 22 cm. de diameter. Prix fait à 700 F"
Another similar cartel with movement by the same maker hangs in the Salle de Trône in the Palais de Fontainebleau (illustrated in Amaury Lefèbure, "Fontainebleau", 1998, p. 49).