Louis XV Wall Cartel Clock In Vernis Martin And Gilt Bronze, 18th Century, Laresche à Besançon

Important Louis XV period wall cartel clock with its matching bracket, forming a large ensemble with an overall height of 128 cm.

The case is decorated in Vernis Martin in warm orange tones, with a delicate painted decoration of flowers and birds. It is richly embellished with gilt-bronze mounts retaining a superb original patina. The Rococo decoration combines foliage, flowers and asymmetrical scrollwork.

The pierced cresting, composed of scrolling foliage, is animated at its base by a bird with outstretched wings. Beneath the dial, a second gilt-bronze bird appears at the centre of an elaborate Rococo composition.

The enamel dial, preserved in superb condition, consists of twelve cartouches with Roman numerals for the hours, complemented by outer cartouches indicating the minutes. It is signed “Laresche à Besançon.”

The original movement is also signed Laresche à Besançon. It strikes the hours and half-hours and is fitted with a pull-cord mechanism allowing the hour to be sounded on demand. This feature, intended in particular to indicate the time without having to see the dial, is characteristic of clocks known in French as “cartels d’alcôve” or “cartels de chevet”, designed for use in an alcove or by the bedside.

The clock itself measures 92.5 cm high and the bracket 35.5 cm, giving an overall height of 128 cm.

The ensemble is preserved in very fine condition. The painted decoration retains beautiful colours, while the gilt bronzes display a superb old patina.

A similar model is illustrated on page 84 of Pierre Kjellberg’s reference work La Pendule française.

Further photographs, including detailed views of the movement and the back of the clock, are available upon request.

This cartel is particularly appealing for the richness of its decoration and the harmony of its colours. The warm orange tones of the Vernis Martin provide a particularly attractive background for the gilt bronzes, whose original patina has been carefully preserved. The painted flowers and birds find a natural continuation in the bronze foliage and birds that animate the composition.

At 128 cm high, the ensemble has a commanding presence while retaining the lightness and movement characteristic of the Rococo repertoire. The pierced cresting further emphasises its verticality.

The fine preservation of the decoration, the quality of the patina, the original movement and the presence of the Laresche à Besançon signature on both the dial and movement complete a particularly coherent ensemble, representative of the decorative taste of the Louis XV period.