A French ormolu pendule d'officier, signed on the enamel dial Lepaute H. de l'Emp. Place du Palais R.l (Horloger de l'Empereur Place du Palais Royal). The austere case of this clock is in typical Empire style with a minimum of ornamentation. Below the dial, which is set in an engine-turned bezel and protected by a convex glass, there is a small aperture with a steel lever. The engraving around this aperture indicates which mode of striking can be selected, petite sonnerie, grande sonnerie or silence. The movement has a going train with anchor escapement and short pendulum, which can be regulated from the front. The backplate shows the complicated striking work. In addition, the clock has an alarm. This is set by the alarm disc behind the hands, but some talent in the field of arithmetic is required, as the alarm always goes off at twelve o’clock sharp. Hence, the user has to calculate in how many hours between the moment he is setting it and twelve he would like to be woken and set the alarm accordingly. • Height: 34 cm. • The maker, Lepaute, was a descendant of a distinguished family of clockmakers. As his address is mentioned here and since the clock was made around 1800, it could be either Henry or Pierre-Basile.