Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 450

Carousel Cupid and CherubsVaillant à Paris, circa 1810Exceptionally fine and rare gilt bronze hour and half-hour striking clock with automaton carousel activated every hour.

CHF 50,000 - 60,000

EUR 35,000 - 41,000 / USD 37,000 - 44,000

C. Octagonal pedestal decorated with applied ormolu putti, stylized foliage, front with two sphinxes with hawk's heads, octagonal base with molded leaf pattern, sides with horse heads holding torches, one with a laurel wreath, the other with a tablet and a ring, the top with animated three-arm carousel, seats in forms of swans, with putti chasing each other, the column and the frame decorated with applied sphinxes, torch intertwined snakes and terminated with a finial decorated with three puttilinked by a laurel wreath, bun feet. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute track with fifteen-minute Arabic markers, winding apertures. Gilt elaborate pierced hands. M. Circular, brass, Paris type, two going barrels, anchor escapement, silk suspension, striking on a bell, count wheel on the back plate.Automaton movemenrectangular, brass, large going barrel for long duration of carousel animation.Signed on the dial. Diam. Height 51 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3
Movement: 3 - 21*
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

Empire clocks with automata are rare.Louis-Jacques Vaillant (died circa 1817).Received as master in 1787. In 1789 he was established at Rue du Four-Saint-Honoré, from where he moved before 1800 to Rue de la Tixanderie. Tardy lists an interesting clock by him with decimal and hexadecimal dial, The Getty Museum has a very elaborate clock made by him.