Grosse französische Kamin-Pendule Lot n° 31

Height: 69 cm. Width: 45 cm. Depth: 24 cm. Signed "ETIENNE LENOIR / A PARIS". Engraved signature "Etienne Le Noir a Paris" on the back plate with work numbering "No 439". Late 18th century. Bronze, gilt. Massive structure, unusual in design, with emphatically large dial, apparently designed for viewing from a greater distance in a spacious, courtly representation room. Double plinth: a lower rectangular plinth with outwardly curved leaf feet and a central relief medallion with a bust of a Caesar, supports the circular bench-shaped base with four short, fluted feet standing on top, flanked by lateral volutes. The clock case is recessed into it. The white enamel dial with Roman hours and Arabic minutes enclosed in a narrow frame, with a crowning, laterally descending pediment cornice with a roof, within which is an Apollo mascaron with a lyre corresponding to the Apollo theme, above which is a winged Amorputto. The lateral sound openings in the form of an oval cartouche, pierced, backed with silk, below each a bearded mask with a winged crown. The hands are openworked, chased and gilded. Date indication by engraved rotating disc behind small square viewing aperture in the dial below. The front glass laterally lockable with a small key. Anchor movement, the former pendulum thread suspension later replaced by metal spring suspension. Locking disc striking movement for striking the half hour and hour on a bell. Regulation of the date by key insertion in the dial. Back with inspection door engraved with festoon wreath and ray medallion motif. The watchmaker Pierre Etienne Le Noir or Lenoir (1724-1789) is one of the most famous masters of his guild. He came from a watchmaking family that had been based in Paris since the 16th century. The signature was used by Etienne L eNoir and his sons Etienne and Pierre Etienne, who continued the workshop. The cases were designed by the famous designers Charles Cressent or Jacques Dubois, among others. Several of Le Noir's clocks can be found in important collections and museums, such as the Wilhelmsthal Calden Castle, the Hermitage St. Petersburg, the Getty Museum Malibu or the Residenzmuseum Munich. A.R. \rLiterature: Pierre Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française: du Moyen-âge au XXe siècle. Editions de l'Amateur, Paris 1997. (12718139) (11) Large French mantle clock Height: 69 cm. Width: 45 cm. Depth: 24 cm. Signed "ETIENNE LENOIR / A PARIS". Engraved signature on back plate "Etienne Le Noir a Paris" with clockwork number "No 439". Late 18th century. Bronze, gilt. Half hour and hour count wheel strike on bell. Date regulated by key in dial. The clockmaker Pierre Étienne Le Noir or Lenoir (1724-1789) is one of the most famous masters of his guild. He came from a family of clockmakers active in Paris since the 16th century. The signature was used by Etienne Le Noir and his sons Etienne et Pierre Etienne, who continued the workshop. The cases were created by famous designers such as Charles Cressent or Jacques Dubois. Quite a few clocks by Le Noir are held in important collections and museums such as Schloss Wilhelmsthal in Calden, The State Hermitage in St Petersburg, the Getty Museum, Malibu or Residence Museum, Munich. Literature: Pierre Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française: du Moyen-âge au XXe siècle, Editions de l'Amateur, Paris 1997.