~ French - Circa 1880 ~~~ Excellent condition, fully overhauled ~~A stunning original antique French clock by the famous bronze founder Charpentier of Paris. It is Louis XVI neoclassical style and of superb quality, made in ormolu (finely gilded bronze). The case is formed with fluted pilasters with semi-circular laurel trimmed bases, pineapple finials and surmounted by a flaming twin handled urn. To the front, the porcelain enamel dial is centered by corner spray spandrels with a mount of entwined laurel branches beneath. The beautiful, finely pierced and engraved gilt hands are original. The lower case of the clock is decorated with scrolling and blossoming acanthus and sits upon a base of exquisite salmon pink specimen marble.The French movement is by Vincenti and is of high quality and is in excellent clean and running condition having been fully overhauled by our clockmaker. Pendulum is a original. It runs for 8 days and strikes the hours and halves on a bell. We have a video of the clock running, please ask and we will send it to you.Condition of the case is excellent; the original gilding is beautifully clean and bright with slight wear and discolouration. the marble has a lovely finish with just some slight nibbles to the edges and a small chip to the front left hand corner. The dial is also very good with just a small chip above the 12 o''clock and tiny nibbles to the winding holes. Bronze founder Lemerle-Charpentier & Cie is a renowned Parisian Bronzier and is listed in Tardy Dictionnaire Des Horologers.Charpentier began making bronze mounts in Paris (rue d''Orle´ans au Marais) in 1834. He exhibited at the Exposition Nationale des Produits de l''agriculture et de l''industrie of 1849, where he was awarded a silver medal and later at the Paris International Exhibition of 1855 where he won a Me´daille de premie`re classe for his bronze casts of sculptures by Fratin, Buhaut and Moreau. At the London 1862 International Exhibition he again received a First Classe Medal for a magnificent pair of torche`res, also in the Neo-Gre´c taste, after models by A.E. Carrier-Belleuse. Charpentier & Cie was located at 8, Rue Charlot, Paris in 1860. The company became known as Lemerle-Charpentier & Cie, from 1870 to 1890. They exhibited mantel clocks, garnitures, torchères and vases at the Expositon Universelle of 1878 in Paris as well as the impressive example of Piat''s grande horloge, an example of which sold at Sotheby''s, New York, April 26, 2006, lot 105, for $329,600.Vincenti et ie clockmaker''s mark and Lemerle-Charpentier & Cie bronze founders mark on the movement back plateComplete with original pendulum, bell and a suitable key. Full setting up instructions supplied if required.Dimensions of clock:inches: Height 13 1/4'', Width 8 1/4'', Depth 4 1/4''centimetres: Height 33.5 cm, Width 21 cm, Depth 10.5 cmShipping within UK £25Shipping to USA / Europe £125 by air fully insuredWorld wide ...