Bonhams
Lot 29
Attributed to Claude Galle (French, 1759-1815): A good early 19th century French gilt bronze and rouge griotte marble figural mantel clockThe figural mount perhaps in the manner of Louis-Simon Boizot (French, 1743-1809)The arched rectangular case on a stepped rectangular pedestal, with applied winged flambé torch and fruiting laurel and oak leaf wreath mounts, and with foliate and stiff leaf cast borders, the front with an applied figural mount formed as a classical maiden, holding aloft drapery to partially conceal the dial, the whole raised on conforming rectangular plinth base and moulded foot, the rotating dial with Roman enamelled chapter ring with milled centre and poker hands, the brass twin train movement with silk suspension and outside count wheel striking on a bell, with pendulum, 53.5cm highFootnotes:ProvenanceNorman Mackinnon (1923-1989), former MD of Drambuie, Scotland and self-proclaimed 'Whisky Baron' and a collector of fine art, furniture and objects, cars, and properties. The clock stood on the mantlepiece in the grand dining room of his Edinburgh home and at the end of a dinner party when it chimed midnight he would announce to his guests that the evening was over. By repute it had been inherited from his mother Gina Mackinnon who was famous for safeguarding the Drambuie recipe. Thence by decent to the present owner.The offered lot is thought to be one of three known examples of this model attributed to Claude Galle, one of the other two being a near identical clock, excepting the case, which is in green marble, which is in the permanent collection of clocks at Belmont House, Kent. Known as the 'Amitea clock', the name is perhaps derived from 'Laudatio Luliae Amitae' which was a funeral oration that Julius Caesar gave in 68 BC to honour his dead aunt Julia, the widow of Marius with the figure to the front of the clock perhaps representing a mourning praeficae. One of the leading French bronziers of his day, Claude Galle created numerous gilt bronzes for the Royal and subsequently Imperial household. Born at Villepreux near Versailles, he was apprenticed to the fondeur, Pierre Foy at rue du Four. In 1784 he married Foy's daughter and after his masters death, took over the workshop and built it into one of the finest of its kind, eventually employing about 400 craftsmen. In 1786 he became a maitre-fondeur and in the same year received the first of many commissions from the Garde-Meuble to furnish the royal palaces. Galle moved the business to Quai de la Monnaie and from 1805 traded from 60 Rue Vivienne.Louis-Simon Boizot worked in the atelier of the sculptor René-Michel Slodtz (1705–1764) who also trained Houdon. In 1778 he was admitted to the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture and exhibited at the yearly salons until 1800. His portrait busts of Louis XVI and Joseph II were created in 1777 and made in bisque porcelain at Sèvres. From 1773 to 1800 Boizot directed the sculpture workshop of the Sèvres porcelain Manufactory, producing the series of unglazed biscuit figures with a matte finish resembling that of marble. Boizot also created terracotta designs for gilt-bronze clock cases including the allegorical 'Avignon' clock, now in the Wallace Collection in London, which was cast and chased by Pierre Gouthière in 1777.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information.For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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