218,000 CHF
G. & 0., Geneva, No. 7653, circa 1840. "L'Eventail a Plumes d'Autruche". Extremely rare and magnificent 18 ct. gold and enamel, diamond-set, white ostrich-feather fan with a buit-in watch. The watch movement, revealed by a spring loaded lid enamelled with a fine painted bouquet of Summer flowers, is set in the shaped body of the fan, fully decorated with champleve enamel flowers and foliage, the front face with two small blue enamel panels with rose-cut diamond inlaid decoration, the back decorated en suite and centred with a large shaped blue enamel panel inlaid with a fine rose-cut diamond bouquet of flowers. The diamond-set handle with a delicate foliage champleve enamelled decoration over engine-turning. Small white enamel with Roman numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. Gold dial plate engraved with technical details. Shaped gilt brass with going barrel, cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring with regulator. Punched "G. & O." on the back plate. In very good condition. Dim. 22 x 7 cm. Notes Gold and enamel fans fitted with a watch are extremely rare and of this particular model the present example appears to be unique. This type of fan with ostrich feathers and seperate handle was used as early as the 16th Century. On several portraits, Queen Elizabeth I is represented with such an accessory.Towards the end of the 1820's, such objects came back into fashion in France. The Duchess de Berry (1798-1870) organised several costumed Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1996-04-20
