2,120,000 HKD
THE EVENING John Kenebel, Frith Street, Soho, London, No. 1455, enamel painting possibly by Lissignol, circa 1800. Magnificent and rare, large, oval-shaped, 18 ct. gold and enamel, pearl-set, centre-seconds watch, made for the Oriental market. Oval, white enamel, circular chapter ring with Roman chapters, outer minute and fi fth second divisions, 15-minute/second Arabic numerals, the top and bottom borders decorated with very fi nely painted roses and foliage. Gold "heart" hands. Notes Published in the Sandberg book, pages 270-271. John Kenebel is not recorded, but may well have been a trader who had connections in the Orient. The movement has features similar to watches signed Jaquet-Droz and was made, with the case and dial, in Switzerland. William Hamilton painted a sequence of paintings, depicting the four parts of the day. This watch is superbly executed and decorated. It is among the best examples made for the Oriental market. Due to the artistic value of the object, a later owner, during the second half of the 19th century, must have decided to improve the timekeeping of the watch by changing the original lever escapement to a more advanced type, so well executed as to leave no visible signs of the conversion. Jean Abraham Lissignol One of the fi nest enamelers of his time, was born in Geneva on May 1749, died in Plainpalais on June 28, 1819. He was the pupil of Jean-Marc Roux and later became his partner. Specialised in snuff-boxes and watch cases, he worked Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2011-10-23
