The dial is engine turned and silvered bronze. It is signed for H Lepaute. The bronze bezel is fitted with convex glass and the rear bezel is also glazed to allow the movement to be seen. Both bezels are the original bronze with the earlier bayonet type fitting. An extensive biography of the Lepaute family is in Tardy Dictionnaire Des Horologers Jean-Joseph Lepaute, 1769-1846, was the great nephew of the founder of the Lepaute dynasty Jean-Andre Lepaute, 1720-1789. Jean-Joseph joined the Company as junior partner to Pierre-Basil Lepaute who was the son of Jean-Andre's brother Joseph. The partnership was perhaps the most fruitful of them all and together they made a great number of pieces for the Chateaux of the Tuilleries, St. Cloud, Trianon and Fontainebleau. In 1811 the firm divided and Pierre-Basil formed his own firm with his son Pierre-Michel under the name of Lepaute Fils. Jean-Joseph Lepaute later took on Augustin-Michel Henry who was the son of Pierre Henry who had married Jean-Andre Lepaute's sister Elizabeth. Pierre later changed his name to Henry Neveu Lepaute and married Annais, the daughter of Jean-Joseph. The Bronzier Jeune Pailly is also listed in Tardy as working in 1812. The French movement is of high quality and is in excellent clean and running condition having been fully overhauled by our clockmaker. It is an early, large plated version of the Pendule de Paris movement, originally silk suspension but converted to steel suspension sometime in the second half of the 19th century. Pendulum is original to the steel suspension conversion and is specially shaped to fit the case. It runs for 8 days and strikes the hours and halves on a bell. Click the video clip below to hear the bell and watch the clock running! Condition of the case is excellent, the bronze has a lovely, original rich patina. The marble is in good condition, a few nibbles to the edges, a very small chip to the front bottom and top right of the right hand side and some very faint hairlines along natural striations in the rock. It has a good original polish. The glass is good, has probably been replaced at some time.
Complete with original pendulum, bell and a suitable key. Full setting up instructions supplied if required.
About us - All of our clocks are original antiques, we source most of our clocks in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. We prefer to buy our clocks in original 'dirty' condition. We then clean the cases using a technique we have developed over many years. We employ two qualified clockmakers who overhaul the movements. Movements are thoroughly tested until we are satisfied that they will run trouble free. |
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Click the movie player below to see the this actual clock
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Lepaute Bronze and Sienna Marble Eagle Drum Head ClockPosted by Dragon-Antiques.com on Sunday 12th Feb, 2017 |