Alcove alarm clock by J.J de St Germain, Paris circa 1760

Small alcove cartel serving as an alarm clock.
The finely chiseled and mercury-gilded bronze case features a very beautiful rocaille decoration simulating an asymmetrical acanthus leaf, with nervously treated cockscomb edges.

The white enameled dial has three hands, two finely openwork bronze hands which indicate the hours and minutes and one in steel for setting the alarm function.

Original movement with silk thread suspension; striking of the hours, half and quarters by drawing.

Perfect working order. (revised by our watchmaker)

Great quality of carving; original mercury gilding.

Work attributable to the bronzier Jean Joseph de St Germain, Paris, Louis XV period around 1760.

Dimensions:

Height: 31 cm

An identical cartel stamped St Germain with a movement by Jean Fol is published on page 95, figure E of Pierre Kjellberg's book "The encyclopedia of the French clock".

Our opinion :

The small alarm clock that we are presenting was intended to be placed in an alcove, just above the bed.
A rope ending in a pompom made it possible to know the time by a simple pull, without having to get up at night, but its movement also made it possible to set an alarm bell, which is still very rare and reserved for an elite under the reign of Louis XV.
Our cartel is of the greatest rarity, only a handful of similar models are known today.
Its magnificent case is the work of the bronzier Jean Joseph de St Germain who had the title of foundry engraver to the king; this fact is confirmed
by the cartel published in the encyclopedia of the French clock which is stamped.
As on this cited cartel, the movement which is unsigned is probably the work of Jean II Fol who specialized in small movements with complications.
He worked as a free worker and worked for the "Lepaute" until 1751, before being made master by masterpiece in 1775.
He is mentioned in articles of the time as a specialist in repeater watches and alarm clocks to the point of being named “valet de chamber and ordinary watchmaker to the king”.
Housed in Versailles, he was one of the first to enter the king's bedroom to give him his perfectly adjusted watch and then he supervised all the clocks in the apartments during the monarch's absence.



*Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain (1719-1791) received master clay and sand foundry by masterpiece on July 15, 1748.
He is one of the greatest bronze casters of the reign of Louis XV.
In 1765 he became a juror of the guild of foundry-engravers, fierce defender of copyright, he proposed and voted for the obligation for bronziers to sign their works.
Indeed, as he indicates in an advertising label for his workshop on rue St Nicolas: he sells “all kinds of boxes and fittings in ormolu” and “makes the designs and models in wax”.
He is the creator of many successful models such as the two Chinese cartel, the rhino clock, the elephant clock, the bull clock, etc. and therefore one of the most copied artists of his lifetime.