Clock Signed "galle Rue Vivienne In Paris" Empire Period Early 19th Century

Pendulum in gilded and patinated bronze representing a standing young woman dressed in antique style holding a book, leaning on a black patinated architectural body decorated with a seated woman and a cherub in the center and a crossed fire pot by a torch and a quiver on the side. The white enameled dial indicating the hours in Roman numerals is signed * Galle Rue Vivienne in Paris and ** Thomas watchmaker. The clock ends with a rectangular base highlighted by a frieze of water flowers in gilded bronze placed on a sea green marble base resting on four small claw feet in gilded bronze. Original mercury gilding (young woman formerly re-gilded). Original wire movement striking the hours and half-hours operating with its key. The model of our clock is listed in the book "Furniture clocks and bronzes entered under the First Empire" page 61 (see photo), it was delivered in 1810 for the palace of Fontainebleau. * Claude Galle Bronzier (1759 - 1815) One of the most eminent bronziers and foundry-engravers of the end of the Louis XVI period and the Empire, Claude Galle was born in Villepreux near Versailles. He apprenticed under the founder Pierre Foy, marrying Foy's daughter in 1784. In 1786 he became master foundryman. On the death of his father-in-law in 1788, Galle took over the management of the workshop, which became one of the most important in Paris, employing, at the height of its activity, nearly 400 craftsmen. Galle moved the workshop first to Quai de la Monnaie (later Quai de l'Unité), then, in 1805, to 60 Rue Vivienne. The crown furniture store, under the direction of sculptor Jean Hauré from 1786-88, honored him with several commissions. Galle worked with many remarkable artisans, such as Pierre-Philippe Thomire; he supplied the majority of bronze furnishings to the Château de Fontainebleau during the Empire. He received numerous imperial orders for lights, clock boxes, and vases for the palaces of Saint-Cloud, the Trianons, the Tuileries, Compiègne, and Rambouillet. He supplied the Italian palaces of Monte Cavallo in Rome and Stupinigi near Turin. **Thomas “Thomas in Paris” The signature “Thomas in Paris” is often associated with that of the bronzier Claude Galle. This Parisian watchmaker was active in the last years of the 18th century and the first years of the following century. Through Galle, Thomas achieved a certain notoriety among Parisian lovers of luxury watches and some of his creations are mentioned in the first decades of the 19th century by major collectors, notably by two marshals of Napoleon, His Excellency Michel Ney prince of Moskowa duke of Elchingen and Louis-Alexandre Berthier prince of Wagram, as well as in the inventory after death of the wife of Louis-Amable-Auguste-Ursule-Achille de Sparre.