Beschreibung:

Leroy et Fils, Paris a black marble and ormolu mantel clock the eight-day duration movement striking the hours and half-hours on a bell with the backplate stamped with the trademark for the movement makers, the initials JF & JD within a rectangle with star above and numbered 12788, the round gilded brass dial having a decorative raised centre and gilt Roman hour numerals set on blue cabochon roundels with the dial centre signed Leroy & Fils, Horlogers, Paris, Palais Royal 13 & 15, with gilt-brass fleur-de-lys hands, the black marble case having a band of champlevé enamelled decoration around the centre, ormolu female-head masks to the corners, wolf-head handles to the sides, standing on ormolu feet paw feet and surmounted by a classical ormolu urn with a female-head mask to the side, a pair of acanthus-leaves protruding from inside and a pair of leopards climbing into the urn, height 40cm * Biography Le Roy et Fils were established by Basile Charles Le Roy in 1785 and were well known and fine makers of clocks Basile Charles Le Roy was the Master Clockmaker to Napoleon & along with his son Charles-Louis were clockmakers to the Princess Pauline and the Duke de Bourbon. Examples of their work are in all the major collections as well as the Ministere de la Guerre, Paris. The Maison de Le Roy was founded in 1785 at Palais Royal & continued until the death of Charles at Versailles in 1865. They took on premises at 13-15 Galerie Montpensier, Palais Royal, Paris when the Duc d'Orleans opened the Palais Royal gardens for both the trade and public's use with many prestigious shops opening under the arcaded walkways. From 1885 their London retail outlet was at 57 Bond Street having moved from Regent Street.