DAVID-FREDERIC DUBOIS, PARIS, CIRCA 1780-85, THE CASE ATTRIBUTED TO MARIE-JOSEPH COTTIN

Details

A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU AND WHITE MARBLE MANTEL CLOCK
DAVID-FREDERIC DUBOIS, PARIS, CIRCA 1780-85, THE CASE ATTRIBUTED TO MARIE-JOSEPH COTTIN
The drum case, surmounted by the infant Hercules, above a standing Nemean lion and shaped rectangular plinth, the white enamel dial signed 'Dd. Fc. Dubois / A PARIS', the twin barrel movement with later anchor recoil escapement, silk suspension, trip repeat, strikework to the backplate and engraved 'DFDB / 1184'
16 ¾ in. (42.5 cm.) high; 10 ¾ in. (27.5 cm.) wide; 5 ½ in. (14 cm.) deep

Brought to you by

Peter Horwood

phorwood@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2359

Lot Essay

David-Frédéric Dubois, received as maître in 1780 and established rue Saint-Honoré by 1781.
Marie-Joseph Cottin, fondeur, maître in 1772, is recorded in the tax rolls of 1786.

Whilst attributed to Marie-Joseph Cottin, it is possible that this model is inspired by a drawing by the Parisian bronzier François Vion from around 1770, showing a drum cased clock supported by a lion, now preserved in the Bibliothèque Doucet, Paris, and illustrated by H. Ottomeyer & P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Vol. I, Munich, 1986, p.193, 3.11.6. However this is not conclusive, as whilst Vion's design shows the case supported by a lion, it does not show the lion with its front paw raised as is the case with the present lot. Another possible inspiration then for this example, is a Louis XV model by Saint Germain, which shows the lion support with a raised paw. An example of this latter comparable was sold from the collection of Jacques Doucet, sold Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 5-8 June 1912, lot 79.

A further comparable model with movement by Lieutaud is illustrated in Jean-Dominique Augarde, Les Ouvriers du Temps, fig. 268 p. 364.

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