A fine and unusual French Empire patinated bronze and fire or mercury gilt ormolu mantel clock. The well proportioned case of unusual construction sits upon four ormolu cushion feet. On the platform to the front of the clocka figure of Cupid holds his finger to his lips while a child with her feet in a bath soaps her foot with a sponge. She sits upon a well decorated Empire stool. The water for the bath pours as a spout from the mouth of a grotesque. Further iconic water features are the ormolu columns to the edge of the case which are in the form of running water and also the fine grotesque mask to the top of the case which is either Neptune or a River God with two paddles crossed behind him. One paddle is decorated by a dolphin while the other is decorated by an ear of corn and by a shell. This could be a specific emblem of Marseille which has strong links with both the sea and the inland waterways. The convex enamel dial is well signed Roche a Marseille and the time is told off blued steel Breguet style moon hands. The movement is of 8 day duration, silk suspension with original pendulum and has the early flat bottomed plates. Louis Roche is known to have been working in Marseille from 1811. French circa 1812. 14.5 inches high by 10.75 inches wide by 6.25 inches deep ( 36.25 cms by 27 cms by 15.6 cms.