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Alexander Lefaucheur

Master clockmaker, renowned for creating very fine and complicated movements housed in high quality cases. Born at Evreux he was received as a maître in October 1729. Such was his skill that in March 1745 he was appointed Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire du Roi, to Louis XV and was one of the few to hold that position during the king’s reign. In 1749 he enjoyed further promotion when he replaced Jean V Martinot as Gouverneur du Grand Horloge du Palais. In addition to the king, Lefaucheur made clocks and watches for many of the French aristocracy.

As one of the finest makers of his day, examples of his work can be seen at Waddesdon Manor.

The movement was made by Alexander Lefaucheur (d. after 1772), who is known to have made very fine and complicated movements housed in high quality cases. Born at Evreux he was received as a maître in October 1729. In March 1745 he was appointed Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire du Roi to Louis XV and was one of the few to hold that position and also to have a shop during the king’s reign. In 1749 he was apointed Gouverneur du Grand Horloge du Palais. His work can be seen at Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire, the Walters Art Gallery Baltimore, the Patrimonio Nacional Spain, the Musèe Historique at Orlèans and the Musèe National des Techniques in Paris.

Buckinghamshire, the Walters Art Gallery Baltimore, the Patrimonio Nacional Spain, the Musèe Historique at Orlèans and the Musèe National des Techniques in Paris. Some of Lefaucheur’s dials were supplied by Decla while his clock cases were made by leading bronziers including F. Goyer, J-J de Saint-Germain, Duhamel and the Caffiièris, of which the present example is attributed to Jacques Caffièri (1678-1755) on account of its high quality and similarity in design to other works from his oeuvre.