69,000 CHF
THE EARLIEST KNOWN MINUTE REPEATING WATCH Marqüch, London, produced in Friedberg ( Germany), circa 1710. Extremely rare and important silver pair cased minute repeating watch. Double body outer, pierced and engraved with scrolls, birds and flowers. Inner bassine, with split bezel, the back pierced and engraved with inhabited foliage. Silver champleve with Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring, the centre chased with cupids. Blued steel "poker and beetle" hands. Hinged gilt brass full plate with turned baluster pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain steel three-arm balance, flat balance spring and gilt brass English style cock. Repeating on a bell by depressing the pendant. Signed on the back plate. In very good condition. Diam. 55 mm. Notes The significance of this watch and the history of early minute-repeating mechanisms is eloquently covered in an article of sonie twelve pages by Sebastian Whitestone published in Antiquarian Horology, winter 1993, pages 145-157. A photocopy will be made available with the lot. The article is very detailed and but a few points can be covered in a catalogue note. Whitestone points out that due to a misinterpretation of Thiout Traité of 1741 and subsequent writings, it has long been considered that Thomas Mudge produced the first minuterepeating watch in about 1750. In fact two other minute-repeating watches made before 1750 are known, but the present example is certainly the earliest survivor and notably well presen
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1995-04-22
