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Each week our specialists publish a research paper about Art and its markets.
Antiques, painting, drawing, sculpture, furniture, fine art, porcelain, ceramic, work of art, carpet, tapestry, silver are among the subject studied.
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 On June 28, Bonhams London organized an auction of pendulums, clock and regulators of great quality. The lot 81 held our attention. It is an important French clock dating from the revolutionary period by François-Joseph Hartmann comprising several dials sold with the buyer premium for the sum of £322 400 (approximately 400.000 Euros).
Let’s have a closer look on this clock which will interest clocks lovers as much as the decorative art specialist.
The clock
An ormolu automat clock, the central part including eight dials is surmounted by a victory holding a trumpet. The dials are separated by flowers and fruits. It is flanked of two columns of helicoids forms overcome by a finished bulb and leaves. The oval base presents a rich ornamentation of stylized lotus leaves on the front.
It rests on six small feet spinning tops.
The eight dials include :
-a Republican and Gregorian complete calendar including the seasons.
-the phases of the moon.
-the hour of the rising and laying down sun.
-the equation of time.
-the hour in several world capital.
-the Zodiac signs.
The clock is signed Hartmann and the dials enamels Coteau.
It can be dated circa 1800.
It is rare to find at that time clocks giving the hour to several places of the sphere, 53 in our case, such as San Salvador, Quebec, Mexico City, Goa or Moskou.
This clock belongs to the collections of a European family for more than a century; it was preserved in a wall cupboard to prevent it from damages. The purchase date is unknown, around 1800 or later in the 19 th century.
Francois-Joseph Hartmann
Few things are known on the beginnings of our clock and watch maker, Hartmann or Hartemann. According to the clocks that he produced we think that it began its activity at the late 18th century in Paris. During the first third of the 19th century, he is “horloger mécanicien pour l’Observatoire et la Marine”. We know several clocks with complications and multiple dials by Hartmann and was therefore a very skilled clock maker. In October 1793, it rented an flat and a shop rue des Viarmes and in 1814 bought the hotel of Italy with its furniture, located rue Saint Eustace for the sum of 9.500 francs.
Our clock maker took part in the second public exhibition of the products of the French industry in 1801. Its clock is recorded among the works exposed under the 63e “portiques”, there were 104 of them. It presents a clock with eight dials and received a honourable mention for “une pendule a hit cadrans, d’un travail soigne. Elle marque le lever, le coucher du soleil, les phases de la lune, &c”.
Taking into consideration these element, it is doubtless our clock.
Joseph Coteau
Born in Geneva in 1740, he becomes Master painter-enameller of the Academy of Luc Saint of Geneva in 1766 and settles in Paris a few years later. In 1772, it settles rue Poupée and remains there for the rest of his life in 1801. His name is attached to an enamel technique in relief which he develops with Parpette on some Sevres porcelain in particular the service of toilet of the Tsarina Maria Feodorovna and which he uses thereafter to decorate the enamels dials of clocks.
He remains the most known and most famous of the enamellers of the end of the 18th century and collaborated with the majority of the best clock and watch makers of this time. We frequently find his name painted on the back of the enamelled dials of the pendulums and clocks with multiple dials or complications.
A six figures bid justified for this exceptional clock in its model of a very great originality and a particularly neat mechanism. Also let us underline that this clock was unknown from the market since it was preserved in the same family for more than one century.
Each month, we organise auctions of fine continental furniture, antique clocks and works of art with our network of auctioneers. We invite you to contact us if you wish to include lots in our future sale. Valuations are free for auction.
If you need an appraisal for sale, insurance or inheritance, please contact us.
Cedric Henon, Continental furniture and works of art specialist.
Illustrations : Courtesy of Bonhams, Copyright © 2002-2011 Bonhams 1793 Ltd
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 June 22, a painting by Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele was sold by Sotheby's London more than 27 million euros ($40 million), multiplying by almost two the previous record held by Schiele in 2006. An exceptional work of art by both the subject and by the evidence she left in history.
A Museum Piece
« Häuser mit bunter Wäsche (Vorstadt II) » was sold by the Leopold Museum in Vienna, which now houses the largest collection of works by the artist but also many treasures of the Viennese Art Nouveau or the Wiener Werkstätte.
Known for his portraits and nudes, Egon Schiele makes this landscape in 1914, when he is at the top of his art. A rarity in the short career of the artist, who died at age 28.
Sotheby’s London – 22 June 2011 Impressionist & Modern ArtEvening Sale Egon Schiele Häuser mit bunter Wäsche, “Vorstadt” II, 1914 100.5 x 120.5cm, Courtesy of Sotheby's
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 For the last 20 years, the primitive art market is booming. The auction sales come and go, particularly since 1990, marked by the sale of a statue Bangwa (northern Cameroon) belonging to the former Helena Rubinstein collection for the astronomical price of 3.41 million ... The good results recorded by Christie's and Sotheby's this year confirms the growing interest in this market, which nevertheless remains quite heterogeneous.
For a sculpture to sell thousands or even millions of euros, it must fulfill some major requirements: the work must of course be rare, it » More
 Water damage, theft, falling ... are some damages, sometimes irreversible, that may be subjected objects. To avoid unpleasant surprises, the owner of artwork can subscribe to a specific insurance policy for its most valuable items. It will be for him, disaster, guaranteed to be fast, and fully refunded.
How to choose the right policy
First, you must know that the comprehensive home insurance policies do not fit traditional art objects and collectibles because they do not take into account the particularity of each object and the evolution of its price. Moreover, they are often capped. April Insurance believes that "from €3,000 worth in works of art, home insurance is not enough”.
If stolen, the insured must prove the existence and ownership of the painting that he was robbed and should also justify its price. However, it is not uncommon for the owner to no longer have the invoice or that it was a present.
To avoid such situations, the owner of furniture, paintings or jewelry can subscribe to his broker a contract to better protect its work of art. Three major companies share the market: Axa Art, Generali and Hiscox who offer their policyholders appropriate contracts. These specific policies have become available. For example, you should know that ensuring the artwork is less expensive that ensuring computers.
A Professional appraisal
The owner may make himself an inventory of its valuables and report their value. We will speak here of "declared value".
But the use shows that the owner tends to overstate the value of its property and therefore have a tendency to over-insure ". In addition, the company does not guarantee to repay the amount of the declared value because it considers that all costs must be justified.
To avoid litigation, companies advise the owner to hire an expert to define in advance the insurance value of each object. With the expert, there will be no doubt about the authenticity and value. Items will be insured at fair prices. The "Agreed Value" also known as replacement value, will be the reference for refund in case of total loss. In this case, the policyholder is certain to be repaid in full.
This descriptive inventory and estimate is an important document. It may be useful in many other situations. As part of an estate, for example, facilitate the sharing among various heirs. As part of a sale, it will serve as objective reference to define the reserve price of the item for sale.
How much does it cost?
Usually for a capital estimated of 250 000 €, the premium will be 1500 €. After five years, the value of objects will be updated often graciously ensuring the reference values for ten years.
The premium of the insurance policy will depend on the other hand of a number of factors: the nature of the insured property, the agreed value, or place of storage (primary residence or second home) ... For 250 000 € value including valuables, furniture and » More
 Succeeding to the transition style, which marks the transition between the styles of Louis XV and Louis XVI, Louis XVI style developed in France and especially in Paris between 1770 and 1790. Also known as neoclassicism of the rest of Europe and particularly in Italy and Germany, the Louis XVI style is marked by a return to antiquity and straight lines as opposed to the canons of style Louis XV all in curves. Remerber that the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii were excavated in 1738 and 1749.
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 The Musee de Sevres, opened by Alexandre Brongniard in 1824, owned a fabulous ceramic collection covering centuries of research and design. From simple earth ware to the richest porcelain, these works of art tell us the ceramic history and in particular the Sevres one.
The birth of French porcelain
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 Main item from the triptych forming "the French coat" and whose 3-piece suit will be the last incarnation, the vest is a piece of menswear that it is not uncommon to discover in the trunk of old costumes and in auction.
I. From the jacket to the waistcoat.
Succeeding the doublet around 1670, the vest - which will take this name in the last third of the eighteenth century - is still called vest and worn under a coat, a sort of frock coat itself named during the Louis XVI period.
With pockets and buttonholes often fake, the jacket tails down again until mid-thigh during the Regence. Only after losing his long sleeves have been shortened to the size it becomes vest, circa 1760.
In the first part of the century, the vest or jacket, which only the visible part is "rich stuff" (the adjustable back with a lace fabric is cut in a plain linen or cotton) is most often matched with the “habit”. Velvet carved miniature or plain Gros Tours embroidery enriched with gold and silver will be long in vogue, especially for winter suits. However, the exuberance of floral fabrics in oversized gives way to 1760 for the planting of flowers and stripes.
From 1770, the fashion trend is for taffeta and Pekins with striped and more often plain satins shades lighter than the coat, greenish yellow called "merdoye" and especially ivory.
These vests delicately embroidered in polychrome silk (picture 1) constitute the vast majority of the pieces seen at auction. They are often embroidered on some parts. Their decor, selected from the boards of patterns or samples of the embroiderer, has been carefully embroidered form on the strip of uncut fabric (sometimes including the buttons) before being sent to the tailor who cut and assemble the vest to measurements required. It is also not uncommon to find these delicate gouache models that reflect the boundless imagination of quilters and coquetry of the elegant era.
Nobleman in the eighteen century is not afraid to be "bling, " he loves spun gold or silver sequins, spangles, faceted mirrors, rhinestones and other "flashy" mixed with silk embroideries, to shine a thousand lights in the glow of candlelight.
From 1780, the traditional models with swags, garlands and flowers thrown are enriched by small figurative drawings witch are very popular. If the costume is fixed in a simple way inherited from the Anglomania, the fantasy is still in the jacket with a square cut, straight without flap pockets and small embroidered collar with lapels. Striped cloth or changing, it stops at the waist and leaves clearly visible panty charms, watches, glasses that will survive the simplification of the costume.
II. The man’s vest or « l’homme paré » *
The ornamentation of the vests with short basque and small collar in Louis XVI time is full of allusions inspired from pastoral fables. They also immortalize episodes of hunting or battles (picture 2), trendy opera or the news with balloons, when they do not adorn libertine performances intended to remain hidden "under wraps".
During the revolution, the vest may prove subversive and allows the owner to display his political loyalty as Robespierre who wore a vest decorated with figures and revolutionary maxims.
Nice example, this incredible jacket (picture 3) a noble freshly converted to the revolutionary cause and whose allegiance is made known by a simple mesh vest tricolor calls to go beyond the envelope ... On pockets are embroidered "Honi soit qui mal y pense " or "the dress does not make the man" on the reverse of the collar, a caterpillar and a butterfly with clipped wings, symbolizing the abandonment of a lifestyle superficial at the time or the luxury of toilets is equated with tyranny. But it is fashionable to adopt a mode less flashy we can instead view the revolution as opposed to those royalists who paraded armed vests covered with lilies after the fall of the Bastille!
Under the Directoire and Consulate, the color palette is reduced; the decorative style is smaller with certain rigidity and stylized motifs. Downscaling neoclassical is beautifully illustrated here by a yellow satin waistcoat straw (picture 4). It is printed in ink in the manner of fine mythological engraving compositions from Angelica Kauffman. This rare vest was preempted for 4800 euros by the Musée de Bourgoin-Jallieu in 2005.
After several years of democratic simplicity, there is with the Empire a return to the formality of court dress with beautiful clothes and ceremonial vests embroidered velvet pinned. Around 1830-1840, (pic.5) vest velvet shawl collar or miniature teddy bears are worn very short. If the "Dandy" romantic does not hesitate to squeeze his waist in a corset under a bunk or more vests, this last bastion of originality in a place more devoid of luster, however, eventually disappear in the second half nineteenth century.
Late 18th century vest in satin or gros Tours are estimated between 300 and 500 euros. The Louis XV one, highlighted with gold or silver can reach 3000 to 7000 euros for the more exceptional pieces.
Séverine Experton-Dard
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 The 18th century was marked by a strong passion for the exotic. Until 1775-1780, the Far East was the inspiration source in decorative arts. But with the spread of “Lumieres” in particular with Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the publication of the novel “Paul et Virginie” by Bernardin de Saint Pierre, the decorators are turning to America and especially Africa. Let us remember that the only blacks seen in France were slaves and the myth of the bon savage appeared. We also emphasize that in 1793 slavery was abolished, Napoleon restored it some years later.
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