1,615,000 HKD
Attributed to Charles Abraham Bruguier, Geneva, No. 386, circa 1840.Extremely fine and rare gilt bronze singing bird cage with two birds and watch. White enamel, radial Roman numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. Brass plates, turned pillars, fusee with chain, fly regulator, circular bellow, eight liftincams, the bird operating mechanism on the top plate. Watch: Later gilt-brass three-quarter plate movement with cylinder escapement, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals.Dim. 33 x 13 x 13 cm. Notes Charles Abraham BruguierBorn in Geneva in 1788, he spent the first years of his career working for other manufacturers making automata, before returning to Geneva and establishing his own business. His workshops continued under the guidance of his two sons, followed by his grandson. Bruguier made several changes in the design of singing bird movements, as compared to those of his predecessors (Jaquet Droz, Leschot and the frères Rochat). His early works, of which this cage is an example, are considered the finest "singng" mechanisms ever made in a small size. Bird cages of this period are very rare, with only six known to exist in gold cases and a similar number in gilt metal.This piece is illustrated on p. 294 of "Flights of Fancy", by Sharon and Christian Bailly, Antiquorum Editions, 2001.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2002-06-08
