Louis XVI Style Ormolu Mantel Clock by Ferdinand Berthoud

• Boss - A boss is small round or oval decorative device, used as ornament in Neo-classical style furniture, ceramics, sculpture and other decorative arts. They are usually applied to the surface in the form of stylized rosettes, but in the best pieces they are carved directly into the surface. Also known as paterae (or patera) or rosettes.
• Putto / Putti / Amorino / Amorini - A putto (plural: putti) or amerino (plural: amerini) is a cherub or cupid frequently appearing in both mythological and religious paintings and sculpture, especially of the Renaissance and Baroque periods and later used as a decorative element in the design of furniture, ceramics, statuary etc. They are usually depicted as chubby males, or of indeterminate gender, often with wings. Their depiction may represent an association with love, heaven, peace or prosperity.
• Acanthus - A stylized leaf motif, one of the primary decorative elements of classical Greek and Roman architecture, derived from the genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Mediterranean area. It is a common element in classical Greek and Roman design, and is often seen in Corinthian and Composite order columns and used as a decorative element in English, European and Australian furniture, particularly on the curve of a leg, and as decoration for a corbel.
• Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.
  
  The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.
  
  It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture.
• Movement - The technical name for the workings of a clock or watch, and does not include the dial or case.
• Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.
• Ormolu - Ormolu was popular with French craftsmen in the 18th and 19th century for ornamental fittings for furniture, clocks and other decorative items. True ormolu is gilt bronze, that is bronze that has been coated with gold using a mercury amalgam. Due to the health risks associated with using mercury, this method of creating ormolu was discontinued in France in the 1830s. A substitute was developed consisting of about 75% copper and 25% zinc, however it was inferior to the bronze version. It was often lacquered to prevent it tarnishing.
• Entrelac - In decorative arts, entrelac refers to a decorative technique that creates a woven or basket-weave-like pattern. The term "entrelac" is derived from the French word "entrelacer," which means "to interlace." In decorative arts, entrelac is often used to describe patterns that are created by interlacing or weaving together strips or bands of material.
  
  In ceramics, entrelac is sometimes used to describe decorative patterns that are created by interlacing or weaving together strips or bands of clay. This technique can be used to create intricate designs and patterns on pottery, tiles, and other ceramic objects.
  
  In other decorative arts, such as furniture, entrelac can be used to describe decorative inlays or marquetry, where wooden or other materials appear woven together to create intricate designs. This technique can be used to create decorative details on furniture, such as table tops and aprons, chair legs, and cabinet doors.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• clocks, type - figural 706