French Louis XV Style Boulle Mantel Clock

This is a decorative mantel clock executed in the French Louis XV Rococo style, featuring a white tortoiseshell-style faux-veneer ground with black scrolling inlay, commonly referred to as 'Boulle' work. The clock's case is a classic waisted form, heavily adorned with ornate gilded brass or ormolu-finished metal mounts, including acanthus leaf flourishes and a putti-style mask at the top of the dial bezel. The clock face features a gilded, repoussé-style decorative center surrounded by individual white enamel (cartouche) markers displaying black Roman numerals. The hour and minute hands are wrought in a dark, blued steel or painted black scrolled design. This piece appears to be a high-quality 20th-century reproduction of the 18th-century originals, characterized by the use of modern composite materials for the 'tortoiseshell' effect. The gilding shows a mild, even patina appropriate for its age, with no visible heavy oxidation or missing mounts. The craftsmanship is noted in the precise fitting of the metal scrollwork to the curved case. A viewing window at the base of the dial allows for the observation of a decorative pendulum inside the case.