Clock - candelabra with a time motif, Paris circa 1760

A rare and spectacular clock serving as a four-light candelabra.

It consists of a rocaille base in chiseled, gilded and openwork bronze on which rests a large porcelain subject of Chronos, symbolizing an allegory of time in the guise of a winged old man with a scythe. Behind the base unfolds a wrought iron and painted sheet metal structure depicting a naturalistic shrub with sinuous branches entirely adorned with polychrome porcelain flowers, including roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, daisies, ranunculus, and anemones. At the center of the shrub, fixed to the trunk, is the bronze case, decorated with acanthus clasps, which houses the clock movement. The movement is signed on the backplate and on the dial "Gilles l'Ainé à Paris." The white enamel dial features Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes. It strikes the hours and half-hours.

The large Meissen porcelain figure of Chronos (37 cm) is attributable to the sculptor-modeler Johann Joachim Kaëndler (1706-1771); it is mentioned in the records for the year 1747. This figure was probably originally designed as a watch stand to house the movement in the medallion presented by Chronos. A similar example was in the René Fribourg collection (sold at Sotheby’s New York, October 1963). Other examples are held in the collections of Burghley House, the Seattle Museum, and the Landesmuseum Württemberg in Stuttgart.

The soft-paste porcelain flowers are attributable to the flower department of the Vincennes factory.

The movement and dial of our clock bear the signature of the clockmaker Pierre II Gille (1723-1784). After being admitted to the guild on November 18, 1746, as the son of a master craftsman, Pierre II Gille set up his workshop on Rue Saint-Martin, Rue Saint-Denis, and Rue aux Ours. At the beginning of his career, he worked with his father, then ran his own workshop in the mid-18th century, immediately achieving immense success with major collectors. Upon his father's death in 1765, Pierre II Gille took over his signature, thus affixing the mark "Gille l'Aîné à Paris" to his pieces. Finally, it is worth noting that in the 18th century, clocks bearing the signature "Gille L'aîné" were recorded in the possession of the Marquis de Brunoy, Prince Charles of Lorraine, the powerful tax farmer Perrinet de Jars, the Duke of Gramont, the Prince of Condé, and Augustus II of Saxony.

Our clock, the product of the collaboration between a bronze caster, a clockmaker, and two porcelain manufacturers, was commissioned by a Parisian merchant during the reign of Louis XV, around 1750-1760. This type of creation, with its pronounced Pompadour style, was the hallmark of the greatest mercers, such as Lazare Duvaux (1703-1758), Simon-Philippe Poirier (c. 1720-1785), and Thomas-Joachim Hebert (1687-1773).

In excellent condition, with original gilding, original movement, silk thread suspension, minor losses and chips to the floral motifs, and some later additions.

Provenance:

Formerly in the collection of the perfumer Jacques Guerlain (1763-1774)

“The Exceptional Sale,” November 27, 2018, Christie’s Paris, lot 504

Our opinion:

Our clock is an allegory of the passage of time and served as a memento mori, reminding us of the fragility of existence and the inevitable flight of time. With its monumental dimensions (81 cm), the presence of four integrated candle arms, the extraordinary profusion of over fifty soft-paste porcelain flowers from Vincennes, some reaching 7.5 cm in diameter, as well as the addition of a substantial Meissen porcelain group (37 cm), this clock represents a truly exceptional piece of prestige.

The technical complexity of its assembly and the exorbitant cost of the necessary materials result in a considerable selling price, reserving this type of work for a very high-ranking commission, likely from a princely client.