Impressive Boullé Mantel Clock. Ca. 1870. Functioning and perfect.

Impressive Boullé Mantel Clock. Ca. 1870. With hour and half hour chime. Precious case with undulating contour in ebonized wood, in clear contrast with the inlay of a vegetal decoration in tortoise shell and gilt metal. This incredible piece sits on a poly-lobed base in the same style as the watch, decorated at the top with a gold pearlized decoration that matches the dial. The piece has decorative and sinuous top and side finials, as well as the legs, in gilded metal, which gives an incredible majesty to this fantastic piece. The case is finished in the form of a mansard with a beautifully crafted vegetal pinnacle on top. The circular golden dial with Roman numerals in cobalt blue, on small and delicate enamel plates in relief, in perfect condition. It also has an outer dial with Arabic numerals for the minutes. The center of the dial is embossed with vegetal decoration and the decorative black hands have a very original openwork shape. The dial is in perfect, like new condition. The case back has a rectangular door that reveals the movement of the watch. The 8-day Paris movement is stamped with "Jean A. Rennes" and the serial number of the piece: 765. The crystal and pendulum are original and it is in perfect condition, both aesthetically and functionally. The first clocks, made with weights, were necessarily hung on the wall. With the invention of the spring mechanism in the 17th century it was possible to unhang them and move them from place to place. These first clocks did not appear in France until 1750, and it took a decade for them to become established in England. They were commonly called "mantel clocks" because of the place where they were placed in the house, around which the whole family gathered. The decorative technique of "Boullé" is taken from André-Charles Boulle, in charge of the design and production of Louis XIV's court furniture. He worked for the court as a master cabinetmaker, and was mainly recognized for his high quality marquetry work. He produced a type of ornamental mosaic composed of different materials such as the one shown in this example. He was responsible for introducing in this technique, already known before, the use of new materials for mosaic and a perfect execution in each piece never before achieved. Boulle's pieces can be considered true pieces of jewelry because of the exquisite detail of execution and the quality of the materials used. It was first used in furniture pieces formally within the decorative style Louis XIV (Baroque), but it came to create a real aesthetic throughout Europe, giving name to what became known as the Boulle Style or Boulle Technique. Beautiful Boullé clock, a real jewel that tells the time! Measures: 45 x 25 x 14 cm