A Louis XVI ormolu and Sèvres porcelain 'cercles tournants' table clock, Antoine Crosnier, Paris, ci

the neoclassical urn with mask handles, the hour and minute rings inset with enamel numerals and signed Crosnier, Paris, the time indicated by a serpent, the plinth base containing the movement with anchor escapement, adjustable silk suspension and star-cut outside count wheel striking on a bell (bell lacking), signed on the backplate Cronier A Paris, the front and sides of the plinth inset with Sevres porcelain plaques decorated 'en grisaille' to depict allegories of astronomy, the rear door pierced and engraved with engraved foliate scrolls, the whole case finely cast and chased,

43cm. 17in. high
Provenance
Most probably with Duveen Brothers, circa 1901 (illustrated in an archive photograph);

Guinle Family, Rio de Janeiro.

Catalogue note
Very rarely found in earlier clocks, the rotating horizontal dials of the 'cercles tournants' clock come into their own in the Louis XVI period. They particularly lend themselves to neo-classical urns with an associated pedestal base to contain the clock movement. In the present example this theme is taken one step further in incorporating Sèvres porcelain plaques to three sides of the base.

 

Madame Du Barry acquired with the marchand-mercier Poirier in November of 1768 for the rich sum of 912 livres a “pendule à vase et serpent, en bronze doré d’or moulu, le cadran tournant, le piédestal garni de trois morceaux de porcelaine de France, fond bleu, avec des enfants en miniature, le dard du serpent fait en marcasite” (cf. G. Wildenstein, ‘Simon-Philippe Poirier, fournisseur de Madame Du Barry’, in Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 1962, p. 372).

 

Later recorded in 1793 au château de Louveciennes, the clock was sold by the revolutionary government and was in a private collection when illustrated by S. Eriksen, Early neo-classicism in France, Londres, 1974, p. 347, pl. 197.

 

A comparable example, unsigned, with coloured plaques, and formerly in the collection of James de Rothschild, was sold Sotheby's Paris, Madame Djahanguir Riahi – Les œuvres que j’ai aimées, 6th July 2017, lot 96 for €50,000.

 

The plaques on the present clock are particularly fine and unusual. The theme of astronomy in the front plaque is almost identical to that painted on a polychrome plaque by Charles-Nicolas Dodin and mounted on a clock by Renacle-Nicolas Sotiau in the collection of the Huntingdon Library, California.

  

Antoine Crosnier (1732-d. after 1806)

Antoine Crosnier signed his dials Cronier or Crosnier and indeed, this clock bears both signatures on the dial and movement. He became a maître-horologer in 1763 and set up his workshop in the Rue Saint-Honoré. His clients included the Maréchal de Choiseul-Stainville, the Marquis de Sainte-Amaranthe, Prince Belosselsky-Belozerky, the Duc des Deux-Ponts and M. Sollier amongst many others.

 

The Guinle Family

The Guinle Family of Rio de Janeiro occupied a prominent position in Brazilian high society throughout the 20th century. With roots tracing back to the 19th century, the Guinles were renowned for their immense wealth and influence, shaping the city’s cultural and political landscape significantly. Their mansion, Parque Lage, served as a hub for artists and intellectuals, fostering a vibrant cultural scene. The family’s legacy is intertwined with the development of iconic landmarks in Rio de Janeiro, including the luxurious Copacabana Palace hotel, which they established in 1923. Through the decades, Guinle family became a symbol of elegance, shaping Rio de Janeiro’s 20th-century society.

Additional Notices & Disclaimers
Please note that Condition 12 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot.