J.PROVOST - Lot 120

J.PROVOST Noon meridian gun in bronze with marble plaque and wood frame. Inscribed "PAR J.PROVOST A VILLEVORDE 1804 AUX AMIS DES ARTS". The object is composed of a miniature cannon (close to the real thing with its wheels), a triangular-shaped plumb level, a small solar gnomon and a magnifying glass mounted on a bow that can be tilted according to the seasons. The lens is engraved "JP PARIS" and the solar gnomon is set on a protractor bearing the signature "JB PROVOSTA VILLEVORDE". South-facing meridian model, manufactured in Vilvoorde, Belgium, in 1804. It was featured in the catalog of the "La mesure du temps" exhibition organized in 1984 by the Société Générale de Banque in Brussels, which brought together rare pieces from Belgian private collections. Empire period, circa 1804 Dim. (base): 41 x 41 cm (restorations and missing parts) Provenance: Victor RASQUIN Collection