12,650 CHF
The Spinning Wheel. Francois L'hardy, Geneva, circa 1820. Very fine, 18K gold automaton watch with quarter-repeater and striking Jacks. White enamel ring with Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions, center with automaton depicting a lady working at a spinning wheel in front of open curtains, while above two Cupids strike bells when repeating, all on a blued steel plate. Blued steel Breguet hands. Notes Charming automata watches with theatrical decoration were made for a few short years around 1820. For another with identical decoration, see Antiquorum, Hong Kong, June 9, 2001, lot 484. François L'hardy (also Lhardy or Lardy). A watchmaker recorded at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century, he made automaton watches, repeating watches, and skeleton watches."Dictionnaire des horlogers genevois, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions, 1998.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-11-16
