Pendule « L'Amérique »
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1800-1810
This figurative mantel clock, known as the "Aux Amériques" model, was produced by the workshop of Jean-Simon Deverberie (1764-1824) between 1800 and 1810. The clock features a large bronze sculpture of a seated Native American female figure, accented with a feather headdress, jewelry, and a gilt spear.
A naturalistically rendered crocodile is positioned at her feet, while a palm tree stands at the rear of the clock. The white enamel dial is signed "Inventé par De Verberie & Cie, à Paris" and houses an original movement with silk-thread suspension, designed to strike hours and half-hours on a bell. The bronze elements display original mercury gilding in matte and burnished finishes. The piece measures 49 cm in height and 36 cm in length, maintaining its original attributes, including opaline earrings and blown-glass eyes, though the pendulum and rear glass are currently missing.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- circa 1800–1810
- Type
- Figurative mantel clock
- Maker
- Jean-Simon Deverberie
- Gilding
- Mercury gilding with no modern restorations
- Condition
- Missing pendulum and rear glass
- Dimensions
- 49 cm x 36 cm
- Movement type
- Silk-thread suspension
- Place recorded
- France
- Dial inscription
- Inventé par De Verberie & Cie, à Paris
- Striking mechanism
- Hours and half-hours on a bell
- Maker / attribution
- Jean-Simon Deverberie
Design
- Visible features
- • The female figure wears opaline earrings and has blown-glass eyes. • The dial is signed "Inventé par De Verberie & Cie, à Paris". • The base features swags of laurel or floral decoration in gilt bronze. • The clock lacks a rear glass cover and an internal pendulum.
- Movement and Dial
- The clock utilizes an original Parisian movement equipped with a silk-thread suspension system. It is designed to strike both the hours and half-hours on a bell. As noted in the auction condition report, the movement is currently unserviced and lacks a pendulum, which will require attention to restore the clock to functional timekeeping. The white enamel dial features pierced gilt-bronze hands of the period. It bears the mark "Inventé par De Verberie & Cie, à Paris," which the auction description indicates is a specific indicator of items produced directly within the Deverberie workshop. The enamel displays minor losses around the winding holes, though it remains otherwise intact without modern repairs or restoration.
- Case and Iconography
- The primary sculptural element is a seated Native American female figure adorned with a feather headdress, necklaces, and bracelets, holding a gilt spear. The base is decorated with gilt bronze motifs, while a palm tree rises behind the central figure. The composition includes a naturalistically rendered crocodile at the feet of the main figure. The piece retains original delicate attributes, specifically opaline earrings and blown-glass eyes. The mercury gilding, alternating between matte and burnished textures, is described as being in original condition without modern restorations, exhibiting wear consistent with the period.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The piece is recognized as a documented model within the output of Jean-Simon Deverberie, with references to the design found in institutional collections and historical literature. The model is specifically associated with the artistic taste of the 1790–1810 period, drawing inspiration from contemporary literary works such as those by Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Chateaubriand, and Daniel Defoe. The auction catalogue lists its provenance as being from a private collection in Switzerland, and it is compared to the aquarelle drawing of the model preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in the Cabinet des Estampes.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The exact dating is estimated by the source as 1800-1810 rather than a fixed year.
- Research required: The source notes the pendulum is missing, meaning the mechanism's current timekeeping functionality is untested.