Napoleon III marble, gilt bronze and enamel mantel clock, Roger Volyncet, Mantes

This Napoleon III period French mantel clock is an ornate architectural piece constructed primarily from white marble, complemented by intricate gilt bronze mounts and vibrant blue and polychrome enamel decoration.

The clock features a neoclassical design with scrolling marble elements, applied gilt ornaments, and decorative suspended chains that add a sense of movement to its composition. Surmounting the main housing is a pedestal-form marble and gilt bronze urn, or tazza, which mirrors the scrolling handles and chain motifs found on the base. The central circular dial is adorned with Roman numeral hour markers, delicate floral motifs, and gilt accents, featuring two winding apertures for the internal mechanism.

The base of the clock is shaped and finished in gilt, providing a grounded foundation for the upright case. Notably, the dial is signed 'Roger Volyncet' and 'Mantes,' indicating the maker. The aesthetic combines traditional marble work with champlevé-style enamel panels, including a central figural scene, characteristic of the decorative arts production during the 19th-century French Second Empire.