437,000 HKD
Dubois & Fils (Neuchatel), Swiss, circa 1810. "La Cuisine" Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel double face watch with an automaton scene. Double body, Directoire, No. 3640 with Neuchatel hallmarks, polished with glazed back. White enamel with Breguet numerals and small subsidiary regulator sector. Blued steel fancy Breguet hands with gold tips. Magnificent varicoloured gold automaton scene applied over a painted ground depicting a kitchen: sitting by the mantlepiece is an old lady grinding herbs with pester and mortar, while a chicken on a spit is roasting in front of a roaring fire; the spit is driven by a small clog running in a playing wheel linked to the spit by a chain; another clog on the foreground is playing with a squirrel. Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, going barrel, cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance with flat balance spring. The automaton movements driven by means of a repeating mechanism, cams and levers instead of the usual independent train. Signed on the dial. In very good condition. Diam. 61 mm. Notes A similar watch, signed Breguet, probably by Gounouilhou was sold by Antiquorum on 13 April 1997, lot 595. Another similar watch by Gounouilhou is illustrated by E. Jaquet and A. Chapuis in 1-/istoire et Technique de La PVlontre Suisse, 1945, pl. 102. In their book: Le Monde des Automates, Paris, 1928, another watch of this type is illustrated p. 87. A. Chapuis and E. Gelis indicate that only three were known by Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1997-06-09
