A magnificent cartel clock by François Viger, Paris, with a case by Jean-Baptiste Osmond, circa 1770
Key facts
- Production time
- 1770
- Country of manufacture
- France
Description
Impressive cartel clock by François Viger, Paris; case by Jean-Baptiste Osmond, c. 1770 The imposing cast bronze case is decorated with numerous acanthus leaf motifs and a large laurel garland (the garland on the right has an old repair mark); two ram’s heads are mounted on the right and left, whilst the upper section is crowned by a vase finial. On the sides, grilles backed with velvet are fitted (some with old solder marks). As with many cartel clocks of this period, only part of the gilding remains. The large enamel dial is marked ‘Viger A Paris’; it has hairline cracks along the right-hand edge, and the enamel has chipped away around the winding mechanisms. The large movement (fully overhauled) runs for approximately 14 days; it strikes the half and full hours on the bell at the top, it has the original anchor escapement; only the pendulum suspension has been modified. Dimensions: Height: 82 cm Width: 40 cm Depth: 16.5 cm The pendulum, key and a bell are included in the offer. François Viger (Dieppe *1708 – Paris +1784) obtained his master’s certificate in August 1744 and opened his own workshop on Rue Saint-Denis in Paris; he worked alongside the bronze casters Jean Joseph de Saint-Germain, Antonie Foullet and Jean Baptiste Osmond; his clocks can be found in numerous major collections worldwide (the Louvre in Paris, the Wallace Collection in London, the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, the Liazenski Palace in Warsaw, etc.) The case is thought to be by Jean Baptiste Osmond. An identical cartel clock is illustrated in Pierre Kjellberg’s *La Pendule Française*, p. 191, fig. C.