A rare late 19th century French mystery rotary pendulum timepieceGuilmet, Paris, number 9985The patinated spelter figure of a man in Medieval dress standing on tip toes and slightly crouching forward in a playful pose, his right arm extended and holding a gilt metal hoop from which is suspended a trio of 'fetter and three' gilt chains terminating in a silvered sphere creating the dial and set with gilt Roman numerals and hands, the top of the orb with rotating impulse arm that drives the fancy gilt pendulum bob above. The movement with inverted T-shaped plates stamped with the Guilmet trademark and numbered 9985, the four wheel train terminating in a contrate wheel driving the rotating impulse bar above, fast/slow regulation offered by a block set on a long thread set within the rear half of the orb and adjusted via a named slot above. All set on an ebonised wooden plinth. 60cms (23.5ins) high