Antiquorum in Love, Impotant Horology...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 16, 1997

LOT 98

De Verberie & Cie hivenit et fecit, rue des Fosses du Temple No. 47, a Paris, circa 1815. "La Forge de Cupidon" Very fine and rare gilt bronze, hour and half-hour striking, automaton clock.

CHF 60,000 - 70,000

USD 41,000 - 47,000

C. Driven by a built-in independent train, a Cupid on the top, with glass eyes and wearing a leather apron, is grinding arrows for Venus; the grindstone wheel is activated by his right foot and he realistically moves his hands from right to left. There are two waterfalls, the first pouring water on the grindstone, the second for the water falling from the grindstone into the bucket. The movement set on the gilt bronze base with four paw feet, the freeze on the face, depicting cherubs forging arrows for Venus. D. White enamel with Roman numerals. Gilt brass Louis XVI hands. Winding holes concealed beneath the gilt bronze bezel attached by a bayonet fixing. M. Large triple train rectangular with going barrels both for the going, the striking and the automaton trains, anchor escapement, short pendulum with silk suspension; striking on a bell with count wheel on the back plate; independent train driving the automata by means of cam and levers, released at will or every hour by the striking train. Signed on the dial. Dim. 49 x 36 x 12 cm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 4

Fair
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 22-51

Later original

Partially reprinted

Notes

This clock or a pratically identical one is illustrated by Mathieu Planchon in: La Predate de Paris, published in 1921 by "Les Fabriques des Montres Zenith", plate 21, page 23. De Verberie or Deverbery, Jean-Simon (1764-1824) Paris, was known as early as 1788, he was working rue Barbette circa 1800, Boulevard du Temple fr om 1804 and rue des Fosses du Temple from 1812 to 1820. His creations were entirely made in his workshop from the drawings to the gilding. There are several common features to all clocks made by De Verberie: the eyes are not made of glass, but enamelled, the oxidised parts of his clocks are never varnished and the bezels are always bordered by a gilt bronze beaded decoration which can be sometimes repeated on the borders of the base. Several drawings of clocks were deposited at the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris on 3 Pluviose an 7 (22 January 1799).