91,500 CHF
Charles Frodsham, Ad. Fmsz, by Appointment to the King, No. 115 New Bond Street, late of 84 Strand, London, No. 09190/12127, movement by Nicole Nielsen, case by Harrison Mill Frodsham, hallmarked 1906-1907. Exceptionally fine and rare 18K gold, keyless free-sprung six-minute tourbillon regulator, Class A Kew Observatory certificate of 1906. Four-body, "bassine et filets", made by "HMF", polished, gold hinged cuvette engraved with presentation text to Jonathan Mann, Esq., swivel pendant. Off white, by Willis, Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary sunk seconds. Blued steel "spade" hands. 48 mm. (22’’’), 3/4-plate, gilt brass, 22 jewels, top ones in gold settings, lateral calibrated lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring, equidistant Nielsen carriage, Nicole Nielsen keyless winding/setting mechanism. Signed on dial and movement, dial signed on the reverse by the dialmaker Willis, case by the casemaker Harrison Mill Frodsham. Diam. 60 mm. Notes An identical watch with the serial number 09099 is illustrated in "Le Tourbillon" by Reinhard Meis, Paris, 1990, p. 211. The watch is illustrated on pl. 89, p. 418 of Vaudrey Mercer’s The Frodshams, the story of a family of Chronometer Makers, London, 1981. In October 1906 the company obtained Class A Kew Certificate for the watch with 84.6 points. It is interesting to note that Frodsham paid £52 to Nicole Nielsen for the movement, which was delivere
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2002-10-19
