A FINE AND RARE FRENCH LOUIS XV PERIOD VERNIS MARTIN AND GILT BRONZE MOUNTED QUARTER CHIMING MANTEL CLOCK OF THREE WEEKS DURATION BY VERNEAUX A PARIS, CIRCA 1760 in the Rococo style, the scrolling case painted with white roses on a dark blue background, with fine fire-gilded bronze mounts, fish-scale frets to the sides and surmounted by a pair of doves symbolising love, the signed enamel dial with blue Roman numerals for the hours, Arabic numerals for the five minutes and gold stars for the half-hours, the triple train movement with circular plates with flat tops, with verge escapement and silk suspension, striking the quarters on three silvered bells, with two outside countwheels, a small lever on the left of the dial allows for the easy setting up of the hourly strike, the backplate with engraved signature 'Verneaux à Paris', of three weeks duration, with pendulum,  48cm high x 27cm wide The movement is ticking and chiming but not fully tested or guaranteed. RELATED LITERATURE: Tardy, 'Dictionnaire des horlogers français', Paris, 1972; Jean-Dominique Augarde, 'Les Ouvriers du Temps, La Pendule à Paris de Louis XIV à Napoléon Ier', Genève 1996. PROVENANCE : Former Dillée collection, Paris.