A Louis XVI mantel clock of Vestal Virgins Carrying the Sacred Fire

A highly important Louis XVI gilt and patinated bronze and white marble mantel clock of eight day duration representing the Vestal Virgins Carrying the Sacred Fire, with movement by Pierre-Claude Raguet-Lépine housed in a magnificent case attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire, signed on the white enamel dial Lépine/ Her. Du Roy [later defaced] Place des Victoires and also signed and numbered on the movement Lépine hger du Roy à Paris/ no 4276. The dial with Roman and Arabic numerals with inner red numbering for the 31 days of the month with a fine pair of pierced gilt brass hands for the hours and minutes and pierced blued steel hand for the calendar indications. The movement with anchor escapement, silk thread suspension, striking on the hour and half hour on a single bell, with outside count wheel. The case with a pair of Vestal Virgins carrying a draped casket housing the clock itself surmounted by a flaming tripod brazier on sphinx supports, headed by ram’s heads and flanked by a tazza and pitcher, the figures and casket on a shaped rectangular white marble plinth with rounded ends centred by a gilt frieze cast with putti playing flanked by square plaques mounted with the figures of Calliop to the left and Uranie to the right, supported on four reclining lions resting on a rectangular white marble base

Paris, date circa 1785-90
Height 64 cm, width 53.5 cm, depth 18.5 cm.

Provenance: Jean Grillon des Chapelles (1732-1813). Amador-Jean-Pierre Grillon des Chapelles (1768-1853), son of the latter and thence by descent and remaining at Château des Chapelles, Indre until recent years.