A patinated bronze and gilt bronze America clock, the figure of a huntress holding a bow and striking down a crocodile, flanked by a palm tree and seated on the dial with Roman and Arabic numerals resting on a base with garlands, ribbons and pearls; (missing). Attributed to Louis-Simon Deverberie Consulate period. H : 48 cm, W : 38 cm, D : 14 cm With the Africa clock, this model from the very end of the 18th century remains one of the most emblematic of the so-called "au sauvage" clocks, the fashion for which only ceased during the Restoration. Declined in different forms, a variant symbolizing Africa sees the snake disappear and the palm tree replaced by a panther (sale Paris, Fauves Paris, 8 December 2016, lot 9). Another variant uses an identical composition resting this time on a higher base in the shape of an arch (formerly at the Redding Gallery, Switzerland). In literature, this is echoed by François-René de Chateaubriand with his Atala, by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint Pierre of course and Jean-Jacques Rousseau to name but a few. The first example of this vogue corresponds to the delivery to Queen Marie-Antoinette in 1784 by the watchmaker Furet of an automaton clock with a Negress head (private collection). The bronzemaker Jean-Simon Deverberie made a specialty of this theme and in the early 19th century a large number of subjects, each more picturesque than the last, were listed. He registered the design of this model in 1799, proving that he was the owner. Models with the American palm and snake seem to be rarer than those with the panther and the tortoise. Among the examples preserved today, it is interesting to mention the one sold in Paris, study Bailly-Pommery, on November 26, 2007 as well as the one of the study Gros and Delettrez, on May 31, 2006 as well as the example of the study Ader of April 14, 2017, lot 204.