A French alabaster and gilt-metal mantel clock: the eight-day duration movement striking the hours and half-hours on a bell, the backplate stamped with the trademark for the maker of the roulant blanc, Samuel Marti, with a gilded female-head 'sunburst' bob to the pendulum, the round white enamel dial having black Arabic numerals and signed Maple & Co Ltd a Paris, with decorative gilt-brass hands, the white alabaster pillared case standing on a shaped base, with gilt-metal floral mounts to the pillar fronts having inset Wedgwood-style blue and white porcelain roundels, with alabaster and gilt-metal 'acorn' finials, surmounted by a gilt-metal figure of a cherub holding an arrow, height 40cms.* Biography Samuel Marti was one of the prolific French makers of the 1800's and was known to be working circa 1860 at Le Pays de Montbeliard, Paris making roulant blancs. Along with Japy Freres and Roux they set up a business in 1863 to market their movements to such firms as L'Epee. Their Paris address was Rue Vieille-du-Temple from 1870.