The waisted case cast and chased with rocaille, foliage and C-scrolls, the enameled dial with Roman numerals and Arabic chapters, a gilt fleur-de-lys between each hour, inscribed GILLE L'AINE / A PARIS, on four scroll feet, the body pierced with trellis and backed with later red silk, later mounted with sprays of porcelain flowers on green tôle stems
20¹⁄₂ in. (52.5 cm.) high, 16¹⁄₄ in. (41.5 cm.) wide, 5¹⁄₂ in. (14 cm.) deep

Acquired from Partridge, London, 2003.

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Lot Essay

THE GILLE DYNASTY OF HORLOGERS

The dial of this clock is signed 'Gille l'Ainé A Paris', and could suggest either the work of Pierre François Gille l'Aîné (circa 1690-1765), received as maître by privilege of the Hôpital de la Trinité in 1746, or that of his son, Pierre II Gille (1723-1784), who was received as maître alongside his father in the same year. The elder Pierre established his atelier on the rue Saint-Martin, where he often used cases decorated with porcelain flowers and figures, as well as those decorated en rocaille or with figures in bronze by eminent fondeurs including Jean-Pierre Latz and Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain. His clientele included Augustus II of Saxony, the comte von Brühl, and the prince de Condé.

The younger Pierre worked in the atelier of his father for several years before establishing an independent workshop on the rue Saint-Martin, signing his works Gille l'Aîne Fils until his father died in 1765, at which time he began to employ his father's signature of Gille l'Aîné, continuing to produce clocks of excellent quality which were set in cases supplied by Paris' leading fondeurs and bronziers, such as Jean-Baptiste Osmond and François Vion. His clients included the marquis de Brunoy, prince Charles de Lorraine and the duc de Gramont. In view of the date and style of the present model, it was most probably the workshop of Pierre I who was its author.