86,000 CHF
A Pair of Ostrich Eggs. James Cox, London, No. 306 and 1024, circa 1770, made for Chinese market. Magnificent, probably unique, pair of gilt metal, silver, diamond-, ruby-, sapphire-, and emerald- paste-set desk clocks above split and mounted eggs. Egg-shell color porcelain formed as an egg over gilt brass, with removable lid, mounted in gilt brass with precious stone pastes, engraved below with a dragon, tree, camel and a palm, the lid engraved with a bird, an elk and trees, the egg mounted on a gilt brass neck set with diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald pastes which has a friction-fit slot for easy mounting in a matching V-shaped bracket held by a gilt brass boy standing on a frame supported by three gilt brass lions, the movement housed at the top in a chased gilt cylinder-type case with silver diamond-paste-set bezel supported on a gilt brass dragon and surmounted by a silver diamond and sapphire-paste-set finial. 23 mm, frosted gilt full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, steel balance with flat balance spring, single-footed cock.Signed on the movements.Dim. Height 27 cm. Notes This pair, the only one of its kind known, extends our knowledge of the diversity of shapes, designs and materials used by James Cox. The form, based on a design of the German Renaissance, is also something previously unknown in his work. To utilize the egg's shape to create a compartment while lodging the clock in the lid's handle is an audacious idea.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-10-11
