233,000 CHF
“Oiseau Chanteur” Frères Rochat and Frederic Cattelain, Geneva, No. 117. The musical and clockwatch movements by Frères Rochat, the singing bird movement by Frères Rochat and Frédéric Cattelain, the enamel case by Georges Rémond, circa 1810. Extremely fine and possibly unique, 18K gold painted on enamel and pearl-set singing bird box with music, center seconds and two-train petite sonnerie striking and repeating clockwatch. Accompanied by the original tooled red morocco fitted case. Two-body, rectangular with rounded corners, the sides, top and base with panels of translucent Royal blue and deep blue enamel over engine-turned quatrefoil and acanthus leaf decoration within white and pale green champleve enamel geometric and leaf borders, the corners decorated with chased gold urns and black, pale blue and white champleve enamel, the top with pearl-set borders, hinged bird cover very finely painted on enamel with a spray of roses and summer flowers, the interior polished to reflect and magnify the bird, engraved gold grille, the front side panel with glazed pearl-bordered aperture displaying the watch and opening to allow winding, hand-setting and regulation, side compartment with hinged cover for the keys. Notes The present box is to our knowledge the only example of a singing bird bow with a full petite sonnerie striking mechanism incorporated within the miniature watch movement – a great technical achievement at this date. The existence of Frederic Cattelain’s signatur
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-05-14
