Antique French Directoire mantel clock in griotte, white and black marble and ormolu signed on the dial Gaston Jolly a Paris. Very pretty clock from the French Directoire period ( just before Napoleon Bonaparte took complete control) with fine quality fire gilded ormolu mounts and quality Italian marbles. The clock stands upon ormolu bun feet. The dial and movement are set within griotte marble. To the base is rope twist ormolu. The convex white enamel dial with Roman hour chapters and signed "Gaston Jolly a Paris within a cartouche below 12> The hands are of early 19th century design and are finely pieced and are or gilded bronze. The fire gilded ormolu bezel surrounding the dial is decorated with concentric cirles of milling, Anthemion and beading. To the spandrel corners around the dial are ormolu mounts of Anthemion. To the top of the clock is a fine ormolu model of the French Cockerel standing on finely decorated ormolu volumes ( knowledge and wisdom) and a flowery decorated orb ( possibly representing the world??). To each side of the clock is a very fine applied ormolu mount of flowersheld in a classical urn. The fine early movement with flat bottomed plates is of 8 day duration and strikes the hours and halves on a bell using a large countwheel. The timekeeping is regulated by a silk suspended pendulum. France circa 1798-1804. Gaston Jolly is first mentioned in Tardy as working in the An VII of the Republican Calendar at Rue Le Pelletier 15.25 inches high by 7.75 inches wide by 5 inches deep ( 38 cm by 19.4 cm by 12.5 cm).