8,625 CHF
Apollo Pursuing Daphne Patron & Cie, Geneva, circa 1750. Very fine 18K gold and painted on enamel quarter-repeating à toc watch with à tact option. Two-body, Louis XV, the back very finelypainted on enamel, depicting Apollo pursuingDaphne while her father, the river god Peneus,changes her into a laurel tree, gold asymmetricalrocailles at the border, bezels decorated with enamelflowers, pin at 8 o’clock for à tact option. White enamel,radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minuteArabic markers, winding aperture at 2 o’clock. Gold "Louis XV" hands. 36 mm., hinged, frosted gilt full-plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, steel ba-lancewith flat balance spring, continental cock, repeating on blocks in the case by depressing the pendant.Signed on the movement.Diam. 45 mm. Notes A similar watch by Patron, also decorated with enamel, is in the Louvre Museum (inv. OA 8470). Daphne and Apollo Daphne was Apollo’s first love. Apollo saw Cupid playing with his bow and arrows, and teased him. Cupid drew two arrows from his quiver, a golden one to excite love, and a leaden one, to repel it. With the leaden shaft he struck the nymph Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus, and with the golden one he shot Apollo through the heart. Immediately the god fell in love with the maiden, while she despised him. When Apollo pursued Daphne, she fled. Seeing that she was about to be overtaken by the god, Daphne implored her father: "Help me, Pe
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-04-24