French Louis XV style ormolu and malachite mantel clock

The ormolu (gilt bronze) clock stands on a shaped rectangular base, which is placed on four toupie feet. The feet are encircled by egg-and-dart bands, and the base is edged with a Vitruvian scroll (wave) pattern. The front of the base features an acanthus leaf mount.

Four legs cast as espagnolette sculptures—that is, winged classical female busts, with scrolled acanthus leaf lower bodies—support the clock case. The clock is rectangular, with cantered edges, an arched top and pointed lower body. This terminates in two scrolls, with a palmette and cluster of grapes between them. The front and side panels of the case are veneered in malachite (a bright green gemstone) and overlaid with pierced ormolu foliate designs. The clock case is mounted, on its front, with a circular ormolu dial, featuring black Roman Numerals within white enamel plaques. The dial is decorated with an ornate ormolu central cartouche and rosette motif. It is contained within a glass lens and ormolu guilloche bezel. Scrolled brackets with floral terminals decorate the four upper corners of the case.

The clock’s arched top—which is scalloped and fluted—is surmounted on its front by a scrolled acanthus leaf design with a palmette centre. The case is surmounted, on its four corners, by gadrooned and pointed finials. These flank a central female bust sculpture, which is set on a shaped plinth. The woman’s butterfly-like wings suggest that she is Psyche, the lover of Cupid in classical mythology.