169,750 CHF
"Venus and Adonis" Barthelemy Duhamel, (Geneva), the enamel almost certainly by Pierre Huaud. Made circa 1685. Very fine and rare, painted on enamel, 21K gold, single-hand pendant watch with early hairspring. Two-body, “bassine” with incurved edges, engraved split bezel, back finely painted on enamel depicting Venus pleading with Adonis not to go hunting, with a dogs and cupid, the band with four vignettes painted with rural scenes, castle ruins, Alpine scene, inside a turreted building in the foreground with large trees overshadowing it and mountainous background, small pendant, loose ring. White enamel, large radial Roman numerals with half-hour indexes, inner quarter-hour ring, center with finely painted scene depicting Venus attempting to entice Adonis, while he appears unmoved and impatient for the hunt. Gilt “unicorn” hand with tail. 34 mm., hinged, gilt brass, full plate, divided and engraved Egyptian pillars, fusee and chain, short three-wheel train with seven-leaf pinions, verge escapement, steel balance, short balance spring, Thuret index regulator, pierced and engraved silver cock with three equidistant foliate grilles, finely chased foliate blued steel click and spring set-up, rack and pinion regulator with silver scale plate. Movement signed. Diam. 39 mm. Notes Venus and Adonis According to the legend, Adonis was born from the incestuous union of Myrrha and her father Cinyras, King of Paphos in Cyprus. The gods transformed Myrrha into a myrrh-tree and in
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2007-05-13
