CARTEL D’ALCOVE L. XV LeLoutre A Paris Ca. 1750 France

M&R58

CARTEL D’ ALCOVE L.XV
Signed LELOUTRE A PARIS
Circa 1750
France

Movement
The eight-day, spring-driven brass movement has circular plates and a going train only, with anchor escapement and short silk-suspended pendulum. The quarter pull repeat is activated by pulling a chord to the side of the clock. The repeat spring in its fixed spring barrel is unusually situated on the front plate. It indicates the hours fully on a bell, followed by the quarter hours with a single stroke. The backplate is signed LE LOUTRE A PARIS.

Dial
The circular white enamelled dial has a Roman chapter ring with Arabic quarter-hour, five-minute and minute divisions. The time is indicated by a pair of period pierced and engraved gilt-brass hands. Above the XII is a regulation arbor which controls the length of the silk suspension wire. The maker has signed the clock around the middle of the dial: LE LOUTRE A PARIS.

Case
The firegilt brass case has the typical asymmetric shape of the Louis XV period and is embellished by floral and leaf motifs. The dial is protected by a convex glass set in a gilt-brass bezel. Below the dial is a pendulum aperture, whilst there are sound frets to the sides. The clock is surmounted by ribbon bows, one of which functions as the suspension eye.

Duration 1 week

Height 26 cm
Width 18,5 cm.

Literature
Tardy, Dictionnaire des Horlogers Français, Paris, 1971, pp. 367/68.

The maker
François LeLoutre had his workshop in Paris, where he became a master clockmaker 1741. He worked at the following addresses: 1748 in the Rue Richelieu, 1766 in the Rue de l’Arbre-Sec, in 1769 in the Rue de l’Echelle where he also got married; 1772, Rue St. Nicaise, 1778-83 Cour des Tuileries. He became Horloger du Roi in 1754.

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