Fine antique vase shaped mantel clock from the First Empire period and circa 1805. With square stepped ormlu base on ormolu bun feet. Rising on an ormolu socle and ormolu cup with applied ormolu mount of swans drinking from a fountain and to each side a mount of crossed arrows through a wreath and ribbons. The patinated bronze body of the vase is square with concave mouldings running from front to back to each corner of the square. To teach side of the vas is a fine female mask from which serpent head handles are fiteed. The top of the clock is a fine ormolu concave socle with the base with stiff leaf and dart moulding but with the top in leaf and petal moulding. The base of the clock has applied ormolu mounts of, to the front, a basket overflowing with flowers and to each side a diamond shape enclosing four forget-me-not flowers with Amthemion to each side. The dial is of white convex enamel with hour Roman numerals and Arabic fifteen minute markers. The hands are finely wrought gilt bronze. The dial is surrounded by a superb ormolu bezel the concentric circles of beading, stiff leaf and darf decoration and more beading. To the four spandrel corners are four arrows passing through forget-me-not flowers. This clock was surely nade for lovers or to celebrate a marriage with all these trophies of love. The movement is of a large and early form with a silk suspended pendulum, a large countwheel and flat bottomed plates. The movement is of 8 day duration and strikes the hours and halves on a bell. The clock is fully guaranteed and the ormolu and patinated bronze is entirely original. France circa 1805. Identical clock by Lepaute in "Pendules du Mobilier National) by Marie-France Dupuy-Baylet pp 45. 16.5 inches high by 6 inches wide by 4.5 inches deep ( 41.25 cm by 15 cm by 11.25 cm).