Monumental and rare dated version of this fine and popular antique French Empire ormolu library clock. Such is the size, attention to detail and the quality of the fire gilded ormolu together with the subject that this beautiful clock can quite confidently be attributed to the workshop of Thomire. The subject is that of two studying children, both wearing chitons and sitting barefoot upon stools in front of a massive bookshelf with a clock face integrated into the top portion. The children are absorbed in their books and one appears to be reading aloud while the other writes. On the very top of the clock are two volumes on their side with a pair of wreathes leaning against them. The base of the clock is decorated with hanging swags of flowers cast and finished with the greatest care. The moulding at the base is of leaf and dart and that just above the dial is of stiff leaf. Attention to detail on this extra-ordinary clock is such that most unusually even the fine bracket feet are individually cast with the front left bracket foot illustrating a terrestrial globe with laurel leaves and amongst various volumes while the front right foot has a celestial globe or orrery between palm fronds and with a number of mathmatical instruments. The quality of the ormolu is very fine and the gold is very thickly laid on. Many of the edges have been burnished to give contrast to the more general matt finish. The ormolu is entirely original and in superb condition barring some rubbing on the left hand side of the column. The dial is of convex white enamel surrounded by a fine ormolu bezel of stiff leaf design. The hands are of blued steel and are of Breguet moon form. The dial is signed Picnot Pere a Paris who is known to have been working at the Rue du Fosses Montmartre in 1812. The movement is signed and dated internally for October 1818. It is an 8 day silk suspended movement striking the hours and halves on a bell by means of a countwheel. 24.5 inches high by 18 inches wide by 7 inches deep ( 61 cms by 45 cms by 17.5 cms).