201,500 CHF
Breguet, No. 960, sent to Betancourt on 10 Vendemiaire year 11 (2 October 1802), for 1600 Francs. Fine and rare, large 20K gold Souscription à tact. Two-body, "forme collier" by Tavernier No. 1890, the reeded band with gold touch pieces, cover and back engine-turned in a sunburst pattern, glazed small eccentric dial aperture in the dial cover, applied white gold à tact arrow on the back. Gold detachable cuvette with eccentric dial aperture. Small, eccentric, silver, engine-turned, with Breguet numerals on a polished chapter ring, secured by a screw on the barrel bridge. Blued steel Breguet hands. 57.5 mm. (25’’’), gilt brass, "souscription" caliber with center barrel wound on both sides, overhanging ruby cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance with jeweled staff and pare-chute suspension, flat blued steel balance spring with bimetallic compensation curb on the regulator. Signed on the cuvette and movement, secret signature on the dial. Diam. 62 mm. Notes Was born in 1758 in Puerto de la Cruz. An authority on me-chanics and hydraulics, he was a close and trusted friend of Abra-ham Louis Breguet and of his son, Louis Antoine. He truly opened the Spanish Mar-ket for Breguet and acted as an agent for him there. Betancourt found Spanish clients for Breguet from as early as 1787 until around 1807, when local political unrest reduced Breguet’s activities there. Betancourt brought Breguet into contact with scientists such as Jose Maria de Lanz, with whom de Be-ta
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2002-10-19
