194,700 HKD
“Shell Bouquet” Ilbery, London, No. 6645. Made for the Chinese Market, circa 1815. Very fine and rare 18K gold and painted on enamel center seconds pocket watch with duplex escapement. Two-body, fixed bezel decorated with blue, black and white champlevé enamel in a geometric design, border and pendant with en suite champlevé enameled decoration, the back enamel panel painted with a bouquet of flowers issuing from a large shell on a mossy base, dark blue translucent enamel background over a foliate and guilloché engine-turned ground. Hinged gilt metal cuvette. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute and second track, Arabic quarter hour numerals. Gold "heart" hands. 22’’’, gilt brass, Chinese caliber, engraved free-standing barrel and bridges, single wheel duplex escapement, plain polished-steel five-arm balance, flat balance spring with index regulator and diamond end-stone. Movement signed. Diam. 58 mm. Notes William Ilbery (ca. 1760-1839). Active in London from 1780 in Goswell Street. He specialized in the production of luxury watches for the Chinese Market. His early production was very much in the English style, featuring a full plate movement and an English type single wheel duplex escapement.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-04-23