Offered by Franck Baptiste Paris
Rare bronze cartel finely chased and gilded with mercury, resting on its original console.
Model of violin shape, with rocaille decorations of acanthus clasps and an openwork acanthus.
The openwork sides are made of finely engraved latticework, on a red silk background.
At the top, on clouds and sunbeams symbolizing dawn, rests a turbaned young Indian with a bow, quiver, and arrow.
In the center, acanthus in rooster’s crest frame a white enamel dial that indicates the hours in Roman numerals, and the minutes in Arabic numerals, with two finely openworked bronze hands.
The dial is signed "Gudin à Paris", as is the back plate of the movement.
Original movement with silk thread suspension; perfect working condition (revised by our watchmaker).
Mark "St Germain "* on the right rear post.
Rare original console, open-worked with acanthus answering those of the case and centered with a roaring chimera.
Original mercury gilding (minor wear).
Parisian work of Louis the XVth period, around 1760-1770, by Jean-Joseph de St Germain.
Dimensions:
Box: Height: 48 cm; Width: 24 cm.
Console: Height: 24 cm; Width: 29 cm.
Total height: 70 cm.
Our opinion :
The cartel we present is a successful model made by Jean-Joseph de St Germain during the reign of Louis the XVth.
As indicated by a cartel dated from 1758 and kept at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles (Inventory N° 71.DB.115), our work is inspired by a production of Charles Cressent, to which our founder collaborated, since he put his mark on the console of this cartel.
After Cressent's retirement, St Germain took over the model in the 1760s and also produced a smaller version.
As often in his career, and to make each piece unique, the master declined the work with several variants for the top bronze, including the child hunter, in European or exotic version, with a turban, as on our version, or with a rooster.
A handful of models of this type have come down to us, but those that have kept their original consoles are rare; only three examples are known.
The console, whose rocaille decorations correspond to that of the box, is an art piece in itself, given the precision of its chasing and the exuberance of its decoration.
The presence of this console, the gilding, and the original movement are all elements that will satisfy the most demanding collectors.
*Jacques-Jérôme GUDIN, is a Parisian clockmaker who was received master on May 12, 1762.
He signed Gudin son, then Gudin.
Son of Jacques and Henriette Lenoir, he married Geneviève-Victoire Marteau.
He is referenced in Paris, Quai des Orfèvres (1762), then rue Saint-Honoré (1783) at J.B.A. Furet.
One finds his signature on cases of Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain, the Osmond brothers, and François Vion.
Among its customers, one finds the prince of Conti, the princess of Monaco, or the duke of Choiseul.
*Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain (1719-1791) was received master foundryman in earth and sand by masterpiece on July 15th, 1748.
He was one of the greatest bronze smiths of the reign of Louis the XVth.
In 1765, he became a juror of the guild of foundrymen and chiselers, a staunch defender of authors' rights, he proposed and had a vote on the obligation for bronze makers to sign their works.
Indeed, as he indicates in a label advertising his workshop on the street St Nicolas: he sells "all kinds of boxes and trimmings in molded gold" and "makes the drawings and models in wax".
He is the creator of many successful models, such as the cartel with the two Chinese, the clock with the rhinoceros, the elephant, the bull .... And thus one of the most copied artists of his lifetime.
He brought many lawsuits, including against his former apprentice, Jean Goyer, who became a cabinetmaker specializing in cartel boxes, forged his bronze models, and founded them himself!
In addition to the many bronze workers plagiarizing his work, there were also cabinet makers who, in order to save money, allowed themselves to cast their own bronzes, which in the XVIIIth century is forbidden by the laws of the kingdom.
Unfortunately for St Germain, the obligation to mark the works was applied very scarcely, except by some great founders, authors of successful models, and victims like him of disrespected copyrights.
For example, the Caffieri family and Robert Osmond were committed to marking their works.
The majority of the other members preferred to remain anonymous, either to be free to found the successful models of others or for reasons of subcontracting to the marchands merciers in charge of the resale in their stores.
