Jean-Hilaire Bassereau (1743-1806) was an eminent maker working in the Palais Royal. He was possibly a pupil of Lepine, as a number of his watches strikingly resemble Lepine?s in their fi nish and details. He was also very versatile, on one hand making luxurious pieces such as carillon watches or singing bird watches, and on the other well-executed but simple watches. He proved on occasion that precision timekeeping was not foreign to him, as is proven by a chronometer with pivoted detent escapement preserved in the British Museum. Subsequently, the business moved to rue Vivienne, where it was continued by his son. It moved again to the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs. In 1810 it was taken over by Bassereau?s widow under which name it was registered until 1840 when it was sold to Henri Dautreme who ran it at the same address at Neuve des Petits Champs until 1890.