230,000 HKD
Henri Capt, Genève, No. 381, made 1800-1802. Very fine and very rare 18K gold, triple-train, musical automaton quarter-repeating watch. Three-body, “Empire”, engine-turned back in “sunburst” pattern, lower part with a small cartouche with engraved coat of arms, reeded band, pushbutton at 4 o’clock, gold pushbutton for activating the automaton and the music. Gold with champlevé Breguet numerals, outer minute dot divisions, center with circular engine-turning, whole on matte gold plate engraved with a sailboat on the right and a pergola on the left, applied varicolored gold trees and animated couple sitting on a rock at the shore, she playing the harp, he accompanying her on the pan pipes. 50 mm (22’’’), gilt brass full plate, fixed barrel, cylinder escapement with brass escape wheel, three-arm brass balance with undersprung flat balance spring, single-footed cock with diamond endstone, barillet musical mechanism with two sets of three vibrating blades fixed in a row on each plate, 7-wheel train terminated with pinion governor set in eccentric bushing for tempo adjustment, repeating on large early gongs by depressing the pendant. The automaton controlled by a cam set on the going barrel which is also the pinned drum.Signed on the movement ring.Diam. 59 mm.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-06-06
