A Louis XV Cartel In Five-color Boulle Marquetry. 18th Century Circa 1730 - 1740

Wall cartel and its console in Boulle marquetry in five colors, it is inlaid in counterpart with brass, inserted with symmetrical arabesques of brown tortoiseshell decorated with fleurons in yellow, green, blue and red tinted horn. A true marker of time, an elegant naturalistic floral ornamentation of asymmetrical gilded bronze marks the triumph of the rocaille style over the baroque. The violin frame of the body and the console are entirely in oak. The main body includes an upper part, called damping, which hides the gong and its hammer. The damping, placed on the top of the main body, is positioned by four wrought iron rods. This one is topped with a cherub sitting on a rock holding an hourglass in his right hand; hourglass symbolizing the passing of time... The rear door of the main body, the interior of which is inlaid with symmetrical scrollwork, provides access to the movement; each of the two sides is perforated and provided with a window in order to better appreciate the mechanism. The interior terrace is also inlaid with a perspective checkerboard. The movement is signed Théodore de Mire Adris on the rear plate with very beautiful English writing. The count wheel is solid and its numbers are nicely engraved around the perimeter. It is therefore a hooded gong mechanism striking the hours and half-hours. The wire suspension without adjustment has been replaced by a leaf suspension, in order to optimize both its regularity and its reliability. The balance lens is adjustable in height by a small nut at its base, in order to regulate the advance or delay. This is connected to the suspension by a small brass pallet. The wheels have four thin, degressive spokes. The dial is provided with twenty-five enamel cartouches in three circular rows: twelve large for the hours represented in blue Roman numerals and twelve smaller for the minutes in black Arabic numerals and a central plate; all set in a bronze disc carved with shells and florets with a floral garland running along the periphery. On the white enamel, we can distinguish some wrinkles from time due to its almost 300 years of loyal service by the presence of light fine hairs. The eight-day spring winding squares are quite apart due to their sizes; they overflow, straddling the central plate and the gilded bronze dial. The square on the right causes the hours and half hours to strike, the one on the left advances the hands. These are very elegantly shaped in gilded metal; the hour hand is shaped like a fleur-de-lys. The whole rests on a console in keeping with the decoration of marquetry of brass, tortoiseshell and horn in four colors; all its sharp edges are raised with flowered bronzes and punctuated with a rococo lamp base. Dimensions: height 106cm - 77.5 in main and 28.5cm for the console – width 31.5 in main and 41.5cm for the console – depth 15 cm in main 17.5cm for the console. A nominal mark trace is visible on the top of the main body. Unfortunately, it was not possible for us to decipher it; probably that of a merchant-merchant who would have resold the cartel, or the stamp of a cabinetmaker after a later repair. The approximate dating of our cartel around 1730 – 1740 is facilitated by technical and stylistic details; firstly, its violin lines, then the elegant naturalistic floral ornamentation of the gilded bronzes with the unbridled asymmetry typically "Rocaille" which still coexist harmoniously with the still symmetrical arabesques of the brown tortoiseshell volutes decorated with horn florets tinted yellow, green, blue and red; a development which only appeared in 1730. Furthermore, the dial is still made up of several enamel plates which can only date from before 1740, a period when dials were created from a single piece of enamel. This cartel is quite exceptional, due to its extremely rare aesthetic and technical qualities; the curved whole, decorated with flowers and florets in five colors on a brass background, is very successful and above all extremely rare. Ordinarily, Boulle marquetry cartels are certainly made of brass and tortoiseshell marquetry, but the five-color polychromy on the horn is lacking. The quality of the bronzes speaks for itself. The movement was made by a good watchmaker. It is quite astonishing how accurately it continues to measure time after almost 300 years of operation. Our cartel has been the subject of a perfect restoration, both in terms of cabinetmaking and watchmaking. Our cabinetmaker was able to re-fix the loosening and lifting of brass and scale and provide a perfect finish with buffer varnish; our watchmaker completely stripped the mechanism in order to overhaul and clean it and then test it. A certificate on this subject will be provided to you. More photographs on specific request.
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