Portico clock - - Gilt brass - 1850-1900

This clock is a portico clock (or portal clock), probably in the Empire or Louis XVI style, dating to the early or mid-19th century. It is characterized by an architectural form reminiscent of a gate or portico, with four columns supporting the upper section.
A construction with columns and a centrally placed pendulum shaped like a sun is typical of the French Empire style (circa 1800–1815) or the later Napoleon III period (circa 1850–1870), which often drew on earlier patterns.
The case is made of ebonized (blackened) wood, which contrasts with the light columns, probably made of alabaster. Decorative elements, such as the dial surround, the capitals of the columns, and the pendulum, are made of gilded bronze.
The clock is equipped with an eight-day French mechanism, which strikes the hours and half-hours on the bell. The dial is enamelled, with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes. I am presenting the clock as non-operational; it runs only for a short time.