Item description for Antique First Empire 8-Day Movement Rosewood French Mantel Clock, France

Made of rosewood with a raw finish has given way to some flaws in the case that some buyers may prefer to refinish, while others might prefer it's antiqued time-worn appearance. On the case bottom, tell-tale signs of its pegged feet are revealed by way of unvarnished circles and peg holes where they once sat at each case corner. Rare for its time, where most clock faces were made of enameled or papered wood, the face of this unique roman numeraled clock is made from machine turned brass overlay, giving it its wavy dimentional character which is also banded by brass scrollwork that was popular at the time. It's convex glass cover is rimmed in in polished reeded brass.

The mechnical clock is fabricated of 8-day movement and pendulum with striking bell. The only makers mark on the clock appears on the brass plate which in script style font reads "FC", which I could not find any manufacturer with a mark that looks like this mark. However, the design of this clock visually compares to those attributed to popular clockmaker Japy Freres who, along with his sons, are connected to many different French clockmaking companys during the 19th century - one being Freres & Cie - from which several iterations of their partnership popped up over the years between both France and Switzerland.

This clock has not been used or serviced in many years. Looking inside in the bottom of its hollow base, I believe a bird once made a nest with the remains of slintered wood, woolen bits and several bright blue chips of what look like egg shells are gathered. I didn't remove them since they seem to belong there now - telling just one tale of this clock's storied history.

My mother came along this clock some years ago, but never had it restored or serviced to get it working again. Once I was able to get hold of it, after all this time, I made a wonderful discovery! On the inside of the back hatch door appears a service record - the only known record for this clock - written in pencil. It reads,

Cleaned ~~Nov~~

J.B.H,

Something else also appears to be written on this veneered panel, but it was rubbed out and that which is partially missing seems to be part of the bird's nest in the bottom of the base. Given this to be the only service record known to exist, I did not even attempt to wind this ancient clock for fear of breaking its delicate parts.