Louis XVI-style Freestanding Clock With White Marble And Bronze Columns, Planchon Napiii, 19th Century

Louis XVI-style portico clock in white marble with gilded bronze ornamentation; at the top, a large antique-style vase accompanied by four flowered pots; enameled dial signed “Planchon à Paris,” adorned below with a wide floral garland, four columns framing the sun-shaped pendulum; the base is decorated with foliage scrolls and beaded friezes; from the Napoleon III period, 19th century.

This clock is in good condition and of very fine quality. It is a fine example of the quality of clockmaking during the Second Empire. The floral decoration on the dial is delicate, and the chiseling on the bronze parts is very fine.

We have its pendulum and keys. Dial signed “Planchon*” in Paris. The movement is also stamped “PLANCHON” and bears the mark “Vincenti & Cie in Paris/Silver Medal.” It will need to be serviced.

Please note: slight soiling, scratches, and signs of age; see photos.

Trained in the family workshop and a journeyman watchmaker as early as 1862, Mathieu Planchon earned the favor of renowned practitioners in Paris such as J.E.Robert Houdin (1805–1871) and Adrien Philippe (1815–1894), from whom he acquired, around 1870, the renowned establishment located at 66–67 Galerie Montpensier in the Palais-Royal. He operated from this charming “Medieval or Renaissance”-style location until 1896—the year he moved his “Watchmaking and Art Bronzes” business to 5 Rue de la Chaussée d’Antin, “a beautiful store, constantly visited by a wealthy and numerous clientele”—this “ingenious and skilled watchmaker, passionate about his art,” with “unfailing taste,” “devoted himself to crafting and marketing”—unlike many of his colleagues—only “his own designs.”"Teeming with pleasing motifs, featuring varied details rooted in sound tradition," these pieces established his reputation among connoisseurs who appreciated their unique aesthetic qualities. At the time, people spoke of and praised the “Planchon Style.” “A curious mind and tireless researcher,” “a marvelous collector of prints as well as an accomplished bibliophile,” Mr. Planchon devoted himself with equal creativity to the restoration of antique timepieces. Presented in 1889 at the Paris World’s Fair, this “very beautiful and curious collection,” the result of “considerable and meticulous work,” captivated visitors “from the clepsydras described in the translation of Vitruvius (...) to the elegant wall clocks of the Pompadour or Louis XVI periods,” including “the clocks depicting Wisdom, Vices, and Virtues, and the symbolic Temperances that adorn the great Flemish tapestries,” was awarded a Gold Medal. Later recognized as unrivaled in his field (Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie), Mr. Planchon was honored with prestigious works, including the Report of the Retrospective Museum of Horology at the 1900 Exposition. Gradually entrusting his business to his son-in-law Paul Brateau (1875–1958), this unconventional watchmaker ventured into writing two books: *The Clock: Its Retrospective, Picturesque, and Artistic History* (1898) and *The Paris Clock* (1918). Having become indispensable “classics” for passionate enthusiasts of both antique and modern horology, these works also have the merit of “perpetuating”—just like his creations—the name of Mathieu Planchon. In them, he wrote: “We have sought knowledge through study, and it is to learn that we write.” A motto that is both humble and true. Related literature: Brateau, Paul, *Mathieu Planchon, Watchmaker: His Life and Work*, Paris: 1921;-Chapuis, Alfred, “Mathieu Planchon,” in: Bulletin de la Fédération horlogère Suisse, No. 43, October 23, 1941, pp. 355–356;-Saunier, G., “Les Pendules de M. Planchon,” in: *Revue Chronométrique: Organe des Sociétés d’Horlogerie*, January 1886; -Tardy, *Dictionnaire des Horlogers Français*, Paris: 1972, p. 525; -"M. Planchon," in: *Le Journal du Cher*, December 7, 1921, p. 3.

Reference: A10 335
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