A Louis XV-era Gilded Bronze Sign, Signed “saint Germain.”

Our chiseled and gilded bronze clock features a winding mechanism and an alarm function.

The openwork floral decoration is adorned with flowers, buds, and swirling scrolls that wind around the dial, as well as musical instruments placed on the lower part of the clock.
The enameled dial is signed J.P.B.dau Hebert in Paris. The hour and minute hands are made of gilded bronze and form openwork arabesques.

Louis XV period—Brocot-style rear escapement.

Shows signs of use

H. 36 x W. 26 cm

Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain was one of the most famous Parisian bronze casters of the mid-18th century. Active from 1742, he was admitted as a master in July 1748. He is best known for creating numerous clock cases and cartels that brought him fame, notably the cartel known as “Diane the Huntress” (see an example in the Louvre), the clock supported by two Chinese figures (see an example of this type at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Lyon), as well as several clocks featuring animal themes, primarily elephants and rhinoceroses (an example is at the Louvre).
In addition to his clock designs, Saint-Germain also produced numerous bronze furnishings—including andirons, wall sconces, and candelabra—always demonstrating the same creativity and showcasing his exceptional talents as a bronze artist. He retired from business in 1776.

The Brocot escapement (or roller escapement) is a timekeeping mechanism invented in 1826 by the French watchmaker Louis-Gabriel Brocot and patented in 1840.