French Empire antique mantel clock of exceptional size and quality. This clock has now been cleaned although the thumbnail shots still show it as uncleaned. The subject is that of music with Apollo's muse playing a well cast and modelled classical harp while sitting on the clock drum. To the left is a patinated bronze figure of Cupid leaning against the clock drum with a musical score in his hand clearly discussing the music with the muse. On an Empire foot stool is his bow and a flaming torch of everlasting love. To the right of the muse is a tasselled table with three monopedia legs with birds heads. The ormolu base is decorated with applied ormolu mounts of classical masks and others of Amthemion and cornucopia. A further base is of shaped antique vert marble with fine mounts of griffins, wreaths and masks. Below the marble is an ormolu moulding into which fit six highly elaborate toupee feet which in turn stand on a further ormolu break front base and six further ormolu highly decorated flat bun feet. The large dial of convex white enamel over copper is surrounded by a bezel decorated with Greek key pattern, outside a further concentric ring of leaf and dart decoration. The bezel is further decorated with hanging ormolu drapes. The movement is large and of 8 day duration striking the hours and halves on a bell by means of countwheel strike, the whole regulated by a silk suspended pendulum. French, circa 1805. 20.8 inches high by 21.2 inches wide by 7.2 inches deep ( 52 cms high by 53 cms wide by 18 cms deep).