A fine and rare French Empire ormolu and patinated bronze mantel clock in the form of a teapot Fournier horologer, Grenoble, the case by Claude Galle, Paris, early 19th century The circular eight-day two train countwheel bell striking movement with anchor escapement regulated by disc bob pendulum incorporating silk suspension, the circular white enamel Roman numeral dial signed Fournier h'ger, a Grenoble to centre, with Arabic quarters to the outer minute track and sculpted gilt brass hands within fine engine-turned gilt cast bezel, the case modelled as a cylindrical teapot with fruiting bud finial to the ogee cap surmount decorated with burnished anthemion motifs onto a finely matted ground over a stepped canted gilt collar, the dial flanked by a shaped fluted handle incorporating stylised leafy scrolls opposing conforming upswept tapered burnished spout decorated with matted flutes and terminating with a grotesque hippocanthus mask, on generous gilt skirt base incorporating complex engine-turned top mouldings over four bun feet, 25.5cm (10ins) high. The Fournier family of clockmakers can be traced back to the 1740's with Louis Fournier being recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as a second generation Parisian clockmaker appointed a Master of his trade in 1748. Subsequent generations worked in Paris throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries including a C.L. Fournier during the Empire period. Another member of the family, Stanislaus Fournier (a former apprentice of Lepaute), is also recorded as emigrating to New Orleans in around 1840. From the inscription on the dial it would appear that the Fournier family also had an outlet in Grenoble which was probably most likely supplied directly from their workshops in Paris. Of the very few known examples of this model at least two are signed for Claude Galle, Paris confirming that the cases were made in in his workshops; this includes an example in the highly important collection of the Musee Francois Duesberg at Mons. According to the Royal Collections website Claude Galle was one of the leading bronzeurs of his day and he created numerous gilt bronzes for the Royal and subsequently Imperial household. Born at Villepreux near Versailles, he was apprenticed to the fondeur, Pierre Foy at rue du Four. In 1784 he married Foy's daughter and after the Foy's death, took over the workshop and built it into one the finest of its kind, eventually employing about 400 craftsmen. In 1786 he became a maitre-fondeur and in the same year received the first of many commissions from the Garde-Meuble to furnish the royal palaces. Galle moved the business to Quai de la Monnaie (renamed Quai de l'Unit) and from 1805 traded from 60 Rue Vivienne.