"christmas Balthazar/dated 1752" Wall Cartel In Carved And Gilded Basswood Louis XV Period

Important applique cartel in carved and gilded lime wood, Louis XV, 18th century period. The eventful cartel, with its delicate asymmetrical openwork rocaille sculpture, is richly sculpted with garlands of flowers and leafy scrolls. The white enameled dial signed *"Noël Balthazar à Paris" indicates the hours in Roman numerals and the minutes in Arabic numerals. The counter-enamel is signed ** "AN Martinière Pnaire (Pensionnaire) du Roy Ce 23-7-1752. Original wire movement signed Noël Balthazar on the plate operating with its key (revised and cleaned by our watchmaker). Gilding with gold leaf in very good condition. *Noël Baltazar (died in 1786), is the fourth of seven boys, five of whom are known as watchmakers. Noël was received as a master on March 26, 1717. He works at the corner of Place Dauphine and Quai des Orfèvres until the end of his life. In 1769 he was appointed watchmaker to the surviving Mesdames les Filles de France - Marie-Adélaïde, Victoire, Sophie and Louise. He also worked in collaboration with the famous Parisian bronziers of his time such as Jean-Joseph de Saint Germain. (see photos reference Encyclopedie de la Pendule Française page 97,123,131) **Antoine-Nicolas Martinière, 1706-1784, was a renowned enameler of his time, notably thanks to to its numerous innovations such as the one-piece enameled dial which revolutionized the composition of Parisian clocks. Received master in 1720, he was noticed, thanks to his great knowledge, by Louis greatest watchmakers of his time: Julien Le Roy, Bailly and Jouard.