Very fine French Empire mantel clock in the finest original fire gilt ormolu with both matt and burnished finishing. The case has been superbly made and executed by the graveur to the finest detail. The fine onvex enamel dial has been signed Cartier a Paris. The subject of the clock is that of astronomy, with the top of the clock surmounted by a celestial globe decorated in blue with its cast ormolu frame illustrating all the signs of the Zodiac in high relief. To the left hand side of the clock is a fine stand surmounted by a telescope and a beautifully decorated clinometer ( protractor used in Astronomy I believe). To the right of the clock is a woman leaning against the clock housing, reading a book. She is in classical dress and the hem is picked out in burnished ormolu. The base of the clock is decorated to the front in high relief with cornucopia, swags of flowers between columns and oil lamps on columns. The clock stands on four elaborately decorated ormolu feet. The white, convex enamel dial signed Cartier a Paris has blued stell moon hands and is contained within a very fine ormolu bezel decorated with flower heads. Jewel like flowers in the spandrel corners and a fine applied ormolu mount below. The clock is dated within the movement to 1820 and is from Paris, France. Height 15 inches, Width 10 inches and depth 4 inches ( 37.5 cms by 25 cms by 10 cms).