90th Auction
2014/11/15
Lot 405
Lepine, Place de Victoires No. 12, Paris, Height 470 mm, circa 1800
An Empire table clock with half hour / hour self strike
Case: mahogany, upright rectangular case on four gilt disc feet; moulded base and cornice with dentil patterned border, glass panels on four sides. Bezel surround with ormulu palmette moulding. Dial: enamel, radial Roman hours, centre seconds, blued Breguet hands. Movm.: circular brass full plate movement, 2 barrels, 1 hammer / 1 bell, solid movement pillars, count wheel, Graham escapement, compensation gridiron pendulum with knife edge suspension.
Jean-Antonine Lépine (1720-1814)
Lépine went to Paris in 1744 to work in the shop of André-Charles Caron. He later married Caron's daughter and obtained his master craftsman's certificate in 1756. Lépine became known in 1763 when he invented a new striking mechanism for pocket watches, which was made public in the "Mémoires de l'Académie des Sciences" in 1766. Lépine was appointed clockmaker to the king in 1765; he took over his father-in-law's workshop a year later. His idea of replacing the backplate with bridges and cocks made the service of the watches much easier and achieved his breakthrough in 1770. He formed a partnership with Claude-Pierre Raguet in 1792 and called himself "Horloger du Roi" from then on.
An Empire table clock with half hour / hour self strike
Case: mahogany, upright rectangular case on four gilt disc feet; moulded base and cornice with dentil patterned border, glass panels on four sides. Bezel surround with ormulu palmette moulding. Dial: enamel, radial Roman hours, centre seconds, blued Breguet hands. Movm.: circular brass full plate movement, 2 barrels, 1 hammer / 1 bell, solid movement pillars, count wheel, Graham escapement, compensation gridiron pendulum with knife edge suspension.
Jean-Antonine Lépine (1720-1814)
Lépine went to Paris in 1744 to work in the shop of André-Charles Caron. He later married Caron's daughter and obtained his master craftsman's certificate in 1756. Lépine became known in 1763 when he invented a new striking mechanism for pocket watches, which was made public in the "Mémoires de l'Académie des Sciences" in 1766. Lépine was appointed clockmaker to the king in 1765; he took over his father-in-law's workshop a year later. His idea of replacing the backplate with bridges and cocks made the service of the watches much easier and achieved his breakthrough in 1770. He formed a partnership with Claude-Pierre Raguet in 1792 and called himself "Horloger du Roi" from then on.
Sold
estimated
4.000—5.000 €
Price realized
3.500 €