Boulle Inlaid - Pendulum Religious Cartel Clock By "nicolas Clément" - Circa 1690

Rare Louis XIV religious cartel  clock signed by Nicolas Clément French watchmaker in Paris around 1690.

The case of a great finesse of execution is covered in front by a marquetry Boulle with three colors as of tin, brass, all on a background of red colored turtle shell. The design is symmetric  as characteristic of King Louis XIV designer Berain and is presenting themes of birds, vines pampres, carved acanthes leaves and calyx on the fronton part with an ebony wood corniche.

To note in the lower front part, a richly decorated "campane" design  directly inspired by the lambrequins designs  painted on the frescoes of the Palestre d'Herculanum at Pompei.  The main gilt ornulu front is signed with the name of our clockmaster depicting the allegoria of god Atlas supporting the world on his shoulders  adding sand time keeper, horn of gold wealth typical of the workshops design from mastervAndré Charles Boulle.

The 18.5 cms wide  brass dial is covered with black velvet and finely chiseled with hours indication in roman numerals and minutes all filled with black wax.  The so-called "percil " hands are originale and are finely chiseled and decorated. (Repair on the minute hand).

The movement is doivent  by two spring barrels and is having a duration of 8 days. The brass plates are connected by  five baluster pillars. With modified Brocot escapement  and works with a heavy pendulum that allows accurate running. It features a small hours counting  wheel in the upper right corner with a finely chiseled fixed steel hand that indicates ithe number of strokes to sound...interesting hand option that disappeared later in the XVIIIth century. 
The clock ringing mecanism has kept its original cut-out steel release mecanism which is rareljy seen as often replaced . 
 
Exceptional engraving of the signature of the watchmaker Nicolas CLÉMENT in Paris jurée of the clockmaster corporation in 1658.

Book references:
- TARDY Dictionary of French Watchmakers page 131
-The French clock Pierre KJELLBERG, page 64, depicting a LOUIS XIV clock precision regulator made of ebony, red turtle shell , and tin on a copper background.