LÉPINE Fin du XVIIIe siècle - Astronomical floor regulator with calendar and astrological signs, equation of time and striking mechanism
Varnished wooden case, finely carved with Louis XVI period motifs, with three glazed sides, in the form of a sheath surmounted by a cornice adorned with teeth, the cubic-shaped base, the glazed central part revealing the compensated balance assembly with its lens, the latter bearing the temperature indication with a plate on which is inscribed the phrase used by the great watchmakers of the period "elementa suis protrus armis victa" (the elements vanquished by their weapons).
White enamel dial with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes, pearled minute track, circumference with star signs for the months of the year and full calendar function over 28, 30 and 31 days, a hand with a sun for indicating the equation of time, another blued steel hand for the calendar, all signed "Lépine Place des Victoires No. 12" but also on the lower part of the enameller's name "Dubuisson".
Movement with weight winding system and compensated balance, striking mechanism on gong, a fixed mainspring in a visible barrel with a cord, central second hand beating the seconds, an anchor escapement, typical of Lépine, equal winding system with a weight, compensated balance oblong steel and brass rods, knife suspension with its brass counterweight, signature on the plate "Lepine à Paris".
H. 206 cm - W. 53 cm - D. 30 cm
RAGUET - LÉPINE This regulator is interesting because it is reminiscent of the creations of the watchmaker Raguet, who at the end of the 18th century joined forces with the watchmaker Jean-Antoine Lépine and signed his creations most often under the name "Lépine", as in our example, signed on the dial.
Pierre-Claude Raguet, also known as "Lépine", was born the son of a cloth merchant in Dôle in 1753, and came to Paris to work for Lépine.
In 1782, he married Pauline, daughter of Jean-Antoine Lépine, and in 1783 bought a one-third stake in his father-in-law's company. He supplied numerous clocks to the Count of Provence and Louis XVI's daughters, Mesdames, for the Château de Bellevue.
"Raguet-Lépine", who signed all his creations "Lépine", took over in 1784, paying his father-in-law an annual life annuity of 4,000 francs from 1796 onwards.
According to historians, he probably began numbering his clocks and regulators from 4000 onwards, and according to Jean-Dominique Augarde, all clocks signed 'Lépine Place des Victoires' like ours are attributed to him, our example bearing No. 4513 on the plate signed "Lépine à Paris" - (Les Ouvriers du Temps, Genève, 1996, p. 355).
"Raguet - Lépine" successfully weathered the Revolution and, in 1793, was appointed to the jury to discuss the new decimal time system that was introduced under the French Revolution and until the middle of the Empire.
His remarkable transition under the Empire was confirmed when, in 1805, he was appointed Horloger breveté de Sa Majesté l'Impératrice-Reine.
Under the First Empire, "Lépine"'s illustrious clients included Napoleon I, Empress Josephine and Charles IV of Spain.
DUBUISSON The white enamel dial of our regulator is signed by one of the two most illustrious enamellers of the late 18th century, Henri-François Dubuisson, who also worked with other great watchmakers such as Robin, who produced timepieces similar in many respects to our example.
One of the most gifted enamellers of his time, Henri-François Dubuisson was described by a contemporary as "having the greatest skill in his art, [and] is possessed of a knowledge that ensures the success of the most difficult pieces; it is a real service to all amateurs to make them acquainted with this modern and hard-working artist."
In 1769, Dubuisson was admitted to the Corporation des Verriers, Fayanciers, Emailleurs et Patenôtriers. He worked extensively for several bronze founders and produced enamel clock dials for various watchmakers. At the end of his life, a colleague wrote of him: "I loved
Mr. Dubuisson as an artist, before I learned to appreciate him as a good father, a good friend and a good citizen. He deserves respect in every way. chemin."
THE PRECISION REGULATOR
Our regulator is extremely sober in its execution of the case, but also extremely complex in its watchmaking. It bears witness to the golden age of the late Enlightenment, which remains the apogee of the art of watchmaking in France.
The luxury regulator, like our example, is an extremely precise instrument that was widely used at the end of the 18th century, created by tal
Estim. 20,000 - 30,000 EUR