A Rare French Louis XV Gilt Bronze Mounted Polychrome Cartel Clock

A beautiful French 18th century Louis XV boulle clock and its matching plinth in a rare five colors  marquetery display having a background of brown tortoiseshell enhanced with mother-of-pearl, green red, yellow colored horns  characterizes the five colors.

Louis XV  period is characterised by beautiful curves of the ormolu and chases bronzes keeping  asymmetric  design patterns in pure Roccoco style 

Several abrevation  stamps are visible on both the cartel clock and stand  as "NG" and " G" that could correspond to "Noël Gérard". He was as a famous french cabinet maker that successed in the trade of  luxury house furnishings by 1725 in " Magasin général à l'hôtel Jabach" located rue Neuve Sainte Merry in Paris. The shop was  maintained till 1749 by his widow.
Clock production and clock sales counted for among one third of the total inventory after his death. His clients were among the high ranked Princes and foreign ambassadors and inventory after his dezth was said to be the richest of Paris at the time.

The movement  is original and perfectly working. It rings hours and quarters on demand by pulling a string.  Both the dial and movement are signed LELUBOIS (Toussaint Michel ) recorded as clockmaker in Paris and  master of the Guild  in 1724. 

References:
- similar clock is referenced in the "Pendule francaise Tardy part 1 - page 68.
-"NOEL GERARD et le magasin général à l'hôtel Jabach,  Robert Fox et Anthony Turner et luxury trade and consumerism in Ancien Régime.Paris 1998 p 169-188
- Encyclopédie de la pendule Française du Moyen Age au XXe siècle » P. Kjellberg. Ed. de l’Amateur.page 76
- Dictionnaire des Horlogers Français  - Tardy 3eme edition page 369 - Horloger Le Lubois maîtrise 1724 - Pont au Change 1743