Era: Second half of the 18th century Gilt mercury bronze mantel clock, manufactured by Pierre Philippe Thomire. Era and style: Consulate, 1795-99. Dimensions: cm h. 66x42x18. Signed on the dial "Filon a Paris". From the dictionary of French clockmakers Tardy, page 227: . Stamped on the casting. Rabiat, (Gabriel, bronze maker). A similar clock, a few years later, is published with attribution to Thomire in "French Bronze Clocks" by Elke Niehuser on page 31. The dating is confirmed by some specific characteristics: The dial shows, in addition to the hour and minute hands, the calendar hand. There are only 30 days and not 31, as was done with the institution of the revolutionary calendar: On 4 Frimaire Year II (November 24, 1793) after various vicissitudes, the Convention promulgated the "Decree on the Era, the beginning and organization of the Year, and on the names of days and months" and adopted the "Instructions on the Era of the Republic and on the division of the Year". The retroactive date of entry into force was set at September 21, 1792. On 24 Fructidor Year XIII (September 11, 1805) Napoleon signed the decree abolishing, starting from January 1, 1806, the revolutionary calendar and restoring the Gregorian one. (for further information see in "publications" the file 121 "The decimal hour"). The movement is of the Paris type, of large diameter, has the plates cut inferiorly, as was in use until about 1805. (For further information see in "publications" the files from 16 to 20 on horology). We admire the quality of the execution of the castings and the elegance of the gearing. In excellent condition. Serviced, working. Pierre-Philippe Thomire, his Life and Works. (For further information see in "publications" the files 71-72). Juliette Niclausse, attachée du Mobilier National, wrote in 1947 a critical biography of Thomire which at the time was practically exhaustive. We therefore understand why, despite the pre-eminence of this craftsman, few have attempted after her to write other essays. Naturally this text remains the reference one, even if we must regret that it was printed in only twenty-five copies. Further essential bibliography: Pierre Verlet "Les bronzes dorés français du XVIII siècle". Essay by David Harris Cohen in "Vergoldete Bronzen" by Ottomeyer-Pröschel. Paragraphs: "Materials and manufacturing techniques", "Gilding techniques" in the essay "Neoclassical clocks" by Pierdario Santoro in "Measuring Time" published by Artioli. Key stages in the life and works of Pierre-Philippe Thomire. Born on December 5, 1751. His father is a mid-level chiseling craftsman. 1765 at the age of fourteen he attended the Academy of San Luca and had Augustin Payou (1730-1809) as his teacher, who greatly regretted his abandonment of sculpture. 1772 at the age of twenty-one he received the medal of honor from the Academy of San Luca. 1774 marries Marie-Madeleine Meillo. 1775 leaves his great mâitre Pierre Gouthiere (1732-1914). He works for Pierre-Louis Prieur (1732 guillotined in 1795) and together with him participates in the manufacture of the carriage made for the coronation of Louis XVI, of which he chisels the bronze decorations. 1776 at the age of twenty-five, only two years after the death of Louis XV, he opened his first workshop in Paris, a foundry. 1783 he made the bronze decorations for the large Medici vase destined for the Central Museum of Arts (now in the Louvre), which consecrated him as the best chiseler of his time and earned him the official position of chiseler of the Royal Sevs Manufactory. 1804 (year XIII of the Revolution) he acquired the business of the great marchand-mercier Martin-Eloy Lignereux (1750-1809) together with Antoin-François Duterme and his two sons-in-law; thus becoming both producer and seller. For twelve years the company was named Thomire, Duterme & Compagnie. The company eventually had up to a thousand employees. 1806 he exhibited some furnishings at the Industrial Exhibition in Paris, including a fireplace lined with malachite and decorated with gilded bronzes, and was awarded the gold medal. He is the first bronze maker to obtain it in the history of France. He specially bought a rich dress to participate in the lunch in the presence of the royals, to which the gold medal winners were invited, considered the highest honor for a craftsman. 1807 He obtained the loan granted by Napoleon to important companies in difficulty due to the war vicissitudes, just over twenty of which also included the Jacob company. 1809 He obtained the second gold medal at the Exhibition. 1823 at the age of seventy-two he retired from the management of the company, which passed to his sons-in-law. 1834 Louis-Philippe awarded him the Legion of Honor. He died on 9-6-1843. Between 1852 and 1860 the Thomire company, whose employees had been reduced to just over a hundred, definitively closed its doors. The scarcity of archival documents is a strong impediment to certain attributions of Thomire's works. Unfortunately little has survived firsthand and the fire of the municipal archives of the city of Paris in 1871, during the Commune (the first experience of insurrectional socialist government), deprived us of that important public documentary source.