39,600 CHF
The Knife Grinder – Watch with Six Automaton Actions Attributed to Esquivillon et Deschoudens à Genève. Made circa 1810. Very fine and very rare, quarter-repeating, 18K rose gold pocket watch with multicolored gold striking Jacks and an automaton scene of a knifegrinder’s workshop with a total of six automaton actions. Three-body, “Empire”, No. 5353, polished, reeded band. Gilt brass spring-loaded cuvette fitted to the movement ring. Annular white enamel with Breguet numerals, outer minute track, center with applied multicolored gold cherubs appearing to strike bells during repeating, gold brick arch below and within an automaton scene depicting a knifegrinder sharpening a knife on a grinding wheel while a boy drives the wheel via a large pulley, blued steel background. Blued steel Breguet hands. 43 mm., 19’’’, frosted gilt, full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusée and chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance with flat balance spring, pierced and engraved continental balance cock with polished steel endplate, silver regulation dial, repeating on gongs activated by depressing the pendant, automaton driven via repeating train. Diam. 57 mm. Notes It is very rare to find an automaton watch with as many as six separate actions. A very few are known with four, five and eight actions, placing the present watch amongst those with the highest number of automaton actions. A similar watch, signed Esquivillon et Dechoudens, from the F. Conty Collection, Geneva, is d
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2009-05-10
