XIXth Century Empire Style Mantel Clock

This nineteenth-century gilded bronze clock has a rectangular base with four legs carved with small patterns. The top figure depicts a lady playing with spruce and on the sides of the clock are placed eagles - a symbol of power as well as a recognizable sign of the Empire style. The conception of the Empire period was often characterized by militaristic elements - symbols of war and victory, imperial emblems, such as the golden eagle. The dial is enamelled with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes. Around the dial are placed four stars. The young woman on top may be the prominent English novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817) and the couple depicted on the front of the base of the clock might suggest that these are her characters from the novel, as she was known for publishing novels about love. and marriages.