Antique ormolu French Empire mantel clock of exceptional quality. Very well cast and finished and with the original fire gilt/mercurial ormolu in virtually mint condition. The subject is that of a young woman living the life of great luxury completely devoid of want. This beautiful young woman in classical dress with flowers in her hair sits upon the clock case with one foot upon a beautiful Empire stool decorated with Amthemion and swans head rails. In one hand she holds a looking glass and in the other she has a wreath of flower heads. Just behind her stool is a column on which stands a beautifully decorated lyre with a basket of flower to the top and a figure of Cupid within. Just behind her on the clock housing is a cornucopia of flowers and fruit, again terminating in a swans body and whose head rests upon a forget-me-not flower. To the left of the clock is a thryrus stick with instead of a pine cone it has a head made up of forget me not flowers and half way down it's shaft is a wreath of Laurel. Behind and to the left of this is a large and profusely decorated urn overflowing with flowers. The rectangular base is cast in high relief with a scene of three evenly spaced children holding a beribboned thyrus in each hand and between and around them a cascade of floral decoration. Between the main base and the lower one is a fine and unusual moulding of acanthus leaf indispersed with trailing vine leaves. The clock is held up on four profusely decorated feet. The dial is of white covex enamel with blued steel hands of moon form. The movement is of 8 day duration striking the hours and halves on a bell by means of the countwheel system of striking. Timekeeping is regulated by a silk suspended pendulum. France circa 1815. 19 inches high by 15 inches wide by 5 inches deep ( 47.5 cm by 37.5 cm by 12.5 cm).