James Stratton
Director
Lot 113*
A very rare and interesting late 17th/early 18th century French gilt brass striking table clock Simon Le Noir, Paris
2 December 2025, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£2,000 - £4,000
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Lewis Walduck
Cataloguer
A very rare and interesting late 17th/early 18th century French gilt brass striking table clock
Simon Le Noir, Paris
surmounted by a shaped cupola engraved to the front and rear with interlaced foliage and flowers, both sides inset with a silver boss of delicately pierced flowerheads, tendrils and leaves issuing from an urn (the rear boss features a wicker basket of fruit), over glazed sides held in gilt and frames with external hinges and engraved foliage to the corners, on a stepped ebony veneered base inset with a cast running mount of birds and flowers. The engraved gilt brass dial measuring 19cms x 16cms (7.5ins x 6.25ins) and set with a Roman chapter ring with inner quarter hour track framed by delicate floral scrolls above and below, a similarly engraved centre sits within a plain band and blued steel hour and minute hands. The going train is wound through the centre, the strike train is wound above XI. The movement consists of two separate units. The going train has upright rectangular plates united by distinctive square-section pillars, the spring barrel driving a four-wheel train terminating in a verge escapement with silk suspended pendulum. The backplate with highly decorated pierced brass and fettled steel set up on the ratchet, along with two further pierced panels above the signature Simon Le Noir AParis. The strike train mounted horizontally above the going movement, with identical pillars, but pierced and engraved spring barrel and solid outside countwheel acting on the bell above, with repeat signature Simon Le Noir, AParis
43cms (17ins) high.
surmounted by a shaped cupola engraved to the front and rear with interlaced foliage and flowers, both sides inset with a silver boss of delicately pierced flowerheads, tendrils and leaves issuing from an urn (the rear boss features a wicker basket of fruit), over glazed sides held in gilt and frames with external hinges and engraved foliage to the corners, on a stepped ebony veneered base inset with a cast running mount of birds and flowers. The engraved gilt brass dial measuring 19cms x 16cms (7.5ins x 6.25ins) and set with a Roman chapter ring with inner quarter hour track framed by delicate floral scrolls above and below, a similarly engraved centre sits within a plain band and blued steel hour and minute hands. The going train is wound through the centre, the strike train is wound above XI. The movement consists of two separate units. The going train has upright rectangular plates united by distinctive square-section pillars, the spring barrel driving a four-wheel train terminating in a verge escapement with silk suspended pendulum. The backplate with highly decorated pierced brass and fettled steel set up on the ratchet, along with two further pierced panels above the signature Simon Le Noir AParis. The strike train mounted horizontally above the going movement, with identical pillars, but pierced and engraved spring barrel and solid outside countwheel acting on the bell above, with repeat signature Simon Le Noir, AParis
43cms (17ins) high.
Footnotes
Simon Le Noir, a noted clockmaker, was the father of Etienne I Le Noir (also spelled Lenoir), who became one of the most important Parisian clockmakers during the reign of Louis XIV and the early 18th century. Etienne learned the craft in his father's workshop.