A LATE LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED, POLYCHROME-PAINTED MARBLE, VERRE EGLOMISE, ENAMELLED AND LAPIS LAZULI MANTLE CLOCK

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A LATE LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED, POLYCHROME-PAINTED MARBLE, VERRE EGLOMISE, ENAMELLED AND LAPIS LAZULI MANTLE CLOCK

THE MOVEMENT BY ADAM LECHOPIE, PARIS, CIRCA 1794

Details

A LATE LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED, POLYCHROME-PAINTED MARBLE, VERRE EGLOMISE, ENAMELLED AND LAPIS LAZULI MANTLE CLOCK
THE MOVEMENT BY ADAM LECHOPIE, PARIS, CIRCA 1794
The drum case surmounted by a palm leaf finial and a ribbon-tied garland, supported by two sphynxes, surmounted by urns issuing topiary, above a shaped rectangular base, the rounded edges painted with polychrome arabesques, centred by verre eglomisé chequered panel with lapis lazuli medallion surrounded by a beaded frieze, on a leaf-tip border, on a conforming plinth and toupie feet, the white enamel dial with Revolutionary month and date calendar, pierced gilt hands and signed 'Lechopie A PARIS', the twin barrel movement with recoil anchor escapement, silk suspension and countwheel strike to bell, the marble base later, the lapis lazuli panel possibly associated
20 ½ in. (52 cm.) high; 12 ¾ in. (32 cm.) wide; 5 ¾ in. (14.5 cm.) deep

Special Notice

This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.

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Peter Horwood

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Lot Essay

Adam Lechopie received as maître 10 January 1758, established rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs. He had an important production of decorative clocks using cases by F. Goyer, J. and J.J. de Saint-Germain, L.P. Thomire, F. Vion, M. Poisson and Osmond.

THE GREGORIAN AND REVOLUTIONARY CALENDARS
Decimal or Revolutionary time was adopted by decree of the National Convention on November 24, 1793. It stipulated that the Gregorian calendar should be abandoned and replaced by the Republican calendar which divided the day into ten hours each with one hundred minutes and then further sub-divided into one hundred seconds. Although perhaps a logical 'simplification' of timekeeping the habits of the populous were difficult to change. The new system meant having to design a new dial and to this end a competition was organised to invent one that was clear and easy to read.
A clock of this same model but with a painted mythological scene in place of the lapis was formerly in the collection of Karl Lagerfeld, sold, His sale, Christie's, Monaco, 29 April 2000, lot 249. This same model is also illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française du Moyen Age au XXe, Paris, 1997, p. 281, fig. E.
A further example of this model but with a Wedgwood plaque in place of the lapis was sold from the collection of the Late Thelma Chrysler Foy, Parke-Bernet Galleries Inc., New York, 16 May 1959.

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