An Empire Figural Mantel Clock By Basile Charles Le Roy

LITERATURE
Tardy, “Les Plus Belles Pendules Françaises”, 1994, p. 252, illustrating a nearly identical clock case by Pierre-Victor Ledure but with a cockerel and a pair of flaming torches below the dial and a marble and porphyry base, the dial signed Barrand à Paris, from the F. Maitzner collection. Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 349, pl. 5.6.8, illustrating a nearly identical clock case by Ledure, 1814 in the British Embassy, Paris. Elke Niehüser, “Die Französische Bronzeuhr”, 1997, p. 233, pl. 715, illustrating a nearly identical case model.

A very fine Empire gilt and patinated bronze figural mantel clock of eight day duration, signed on the white enamel dial Ch.les Le Roy with Roman numerals and a pair of blued steel hands for the hours and minutes. The movement with silk thread suspension, anchor escapement, striking on the hour and half hour on a single bell with outside count wheel. The magnificent case attributed to Pierre-Victor Ledure symbolising Study, with the dial set into a rectangular draped plinth surmounted by three books, one inscribed on the spine PHYS TOM 3, and the other ASTRO TOM I and cast below the dial with outward facing sphinxes issuing cornucopias and centred by a cornucopia amid scrolls, the plinth flanked by a classical female figure personifying Study, who leans her left elbow upon the books and holds a scrolled diploma in her right hand, the whole upon a stepped rectangular base flanked by flaming torches and centred by a frieze depicting putti studying architecture, astronomy and drawing, on turned feet

Paris, date circa 1815
Height 78 cm, width 49 cm, depth 21.5 cm.

As one of the leading bronziers of the early nineteenth century, Pierre-Victor Ledure (1783-post 1840) received important commissions and enjoyed the patronage from a wealthy international clientele. Among them was the Archduke of Tuscany the Duke of Franken, who in 1813 gave him a large order for bronze furnishings for his residence in Würzburg. The order included a clock with case personifying Study leaning on a podium, at a cost of about 800 francs. Other identical or near identical examples can be found at the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, the Palais Viana in Madrid and at Schlösserveraltung, Munich. Among other of Ledure’s clock cases was one of 1820 resembling a Greek temple that was made for the Duke of Wellington’s home at Strafield Saye House, Hampshire. Ledure also secured a number of important contracts through Louis-Philippe’s government. For example he supplied elaborate candelabra and fleurons in the Renaissance style for the Throne Rooms of the Tuileries in 1835.

Born in Paris in 1783, Ledure was apprenticed under the renowned bronzier, André-Antoine Ravrio (1759-1814). He formed a close friendship with Ravrio and the latter’s adopted son, Louis-Stanislas Lenoir-Ravrio (1783-1846), both of whom acted as best men at his wedding in 1811. Ledure’s wife, Geneviève was the daughter of a former gilder, Edme Dartois (d. 1796) while her brother, Jean-Edme was a bronzier. One can find examples of Ledure’s work in many important private and public collections including the Museo de Reloges, Jerez de la Frontera; Palais Vienna, Madrid; the Royal Pavilion, Brighton and the British Embassy in Paris.

The movement was made by the esteemed Parisian clockmaker Basile (also known as Bazile)-Charles Le Roy (1765-1839), who after the Directoire began signing his dials as here ‘Charles Le Roy’. Having survived the Revolution, when he worked for the Republic, Le Roy was in 1805 appointed Horloger de S.A.I. et R. Madame Mère de l’Empereur and in circa 1810 Horloger du Roi de Westphalie. 1829 saw his appointment as royal clockmaker to the ducs de Bourbon and de Chartres. His son Charles-Louis (1794-1865/6, often called Louis-Charles), who joined his father in partnership, circa 1828 was in 1835 appointed Horloger du Roi and Horloger du Ministère de la Marine.