Jan 28, 2026 10:00 EST
Old Master Paintings / Silver / English & Continental Furniture
Large and Rare Louis XV Gilt-Bronze Cartel Clock
The Property of a Distinguished Private Collection
Signed Hardel a Paris, circa 1755
Of asymmetrical design, modelled with scrolling acanthus, foliate sprays, and playful figures above the circular enamel dial with Roman numerals and outer Arabic quarter-hour markers, signed Hardel à Paris, with pierced gilt hands; the movement with anchor escapement and silk suspension, striking the hours and half-hours on a bell. The clock movement at the back inscribed: Hardel a Paris.
With Pendulum and key
Height 48 1/2 inches (123.2 cm), width 23 1/2 inches (59.7 cm).
Provenance: Maurice Segoura, Paris, November 20, 2000.
$8,000 - $12,000
The Property of a Distinguished Private Collection
Signed Hardel a Paris, circa 1755
Of asymmetrical design, modelled with scrolling acanthus, foliate sprays, and playful figures above the circular enamel dial with Roman numerals and outer Arabic quarter-hour markers, signed Hardel à Paris, with pierced gilt hands; the movement with anchor escapement and silk suspension, striking the hours and half-hours on a bell. The clock movement at the back inscribed: Hardel a Paris.
With Pendulum and key
Height 48 1/2 inches (123.2 cm), width 23 1/2 inches (59.7 cm).
Provenance: Maurice Segoura, Paris, November 20, 2000.
Notes:Louis-Michel Hardel (also called Harel) received as Maître Horloger in 1753 was established Cloître St-Denis de la Chartre at Paris, he was part of the circle of prominent Parisian clockmakers supplying high-end movements to the bronzeworking ateliers that defined the Rococo style. Cartel clocks of this sculptural richness often originated from workshops associated with Jacques Caffieri, Philippe Caffieri, or Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain whose dynamic compositions remain icons of Louis XV decorative arts.
This present example is notable for its lively figural group, well-preserved original gilding, and the sophisticated scrolls and foliate ornament. Clocks of this type were intended for grand reception rooms and represent the height of mid-18th-century Parisian luxury.
English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts
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Auction: Old Master Paintings / Silver / English & Continental Furniture, Jan 28, 2026
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Auction of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings, Drawings & Prints on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 10am
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted
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We Invite You to Contact Us for a Complimentary Auction Evaluation of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle will hold an auction of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings, Drawings & Prints on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 10am. The auction will present works spanning the 16th through 19th centuries, including portraits, still lifes and landscapes, along with religious, historical and mythological subjects.
Featured in the sale is Anthropomorphic Landscape attributed to Matthäus Merian. Anthropomorphic landscapes--imaginary views of natural scenery that appear to resemble the faces of people--were much in vogue in European art during the 16th and early 17th centuries. When this painting was first discovered by Alfred Barr in 1930 it was thought to be by the Italian Mannerist artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527-1593). However when the work was cleaned and restored in 1954, an inscription attributing it to the Swiss engraver Matthäus Merian (1593-1650) came to light. It was soon shown that its composition is closely related to an engraving of a similar anthropomorphic landscape created by Merian in 1624, which suggests that it may have been the artist’s preiminary sketch for that work.
Additional Categories in the Sale
Special sections of the sale will also showcase English & Continental Silver (Read More) on Wednesday, January 28 and English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts (Read More) on Thursday, January 29.
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
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