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French Ormolu Mantle Clock, Gille L'Ainé a Paris, circa 1760

A small extremely well cast and finished ormolu Louis XVI mantle clock by the eminent maker Gille L'Ainé A Paris. The superb balloon shaped ormolu case is adorned with a composition of deep, heavy and well defined castings that include floral swags, floral sprays, C-scrolls, sea shells and several different types of decorative matting. Obviously meant to be viewed on all sides, either out in a room or against a mirror, the back is identical to the front in both composition and quality. The sides are fitted with cast and engraved floral frets while the front and back openings are glazed.

The finely lettered white porcelain dial with asymetrical winding holes has a simple molded hinged bezel, black Roman numerals for the hours, black Arabic numbers for the five-minute marks, is signed by the maker, 'GILLE L'AINÉ A PARIS' and has finely cast and finished ormolu hands.

The large flat bottomed twin barrel movement has a large engraved indexed countwheel, is engraved in flowing script on the backplate, 'Gilles L'Ainé a Paris', has the original silk-thread suspension that is adjusted out the front of the clock above the bezel for fast/slow, has a pendulum with a steel rod and plain lenticular bob with an additional screwed adjustment and strikes on a bell.

Pierre II Gille, son of the master horologer Pierre Francois Gille, worked with his father before establishing his own workshop. Elected master in 1746, he produced excellent quality movements that where often cased by some of the great bronzers of the period such as Osmond, Vion and Saint-Germain.

Although the case is unsigned, the superb proportions, quality and known working affiliations of the maker suggest it to have been made by one of the leading bronzers of the period. In 'Vergolten Bronzen' by Ottomeyer and Proschel several similar and one nearly identical model are represented in the section of works signed by St. Germain who became a master in 1748.