Japy Freres, Paris, a French Victorian gilt-metal and porcelain mantel clock: the eight-day duration movement striking the hours and half-hours on a bell with a countwheel, the backplate stamped with the trademark of the maker Japy Freres and the serial number 1632, the round blue painted porcelain dial having a scene to the centre depicting a bird with flora, black Roman hour numerals and gilt-brass hands, the gilt-metal case with rococo style mouldings having a blue porcelain plaque to the centre painted with a depiction of a young girl walking in a meadow, with further matching plaques to the sides, with a gilt-metal cherub standing to one side of the base and surmounted by a basket of flowers, a quiver of arrows and a hat, on an ebonised oval base, height 33cms (clock) 37cms (including base).* Biography Japy Freres was founded by Frederic Japy of Beaucount, born 1749 who first made movements for the clock industry at his factory in 1777, becoming the largest and most commercially important clockmaking concern in France. Some of the earlier carriage clock movements made by the firm, from circa 1840, are the finest from that period.