Puy 'Roche

Puy 'Roche, attributed to Piguet & Capt, Geneva, made for the Chinese market, circa 1805. "La Lorgnette". Magnificent and extremely rare 18 ct. gold and enamel, pearl-set musical telescope with concealed automaton scene, and built in watch. Decorated overall with four panels of blue enamel, two with urns of flowers and two with trophies of love und music, split-pearl set borders with azure lines and further champleve and engraved decoration. Sliding panel disclosing first the watch and then the automaton scene: a chased varicoloured foreground with a semaphore, a vessel passing behind in front of a a painted enamel vessel and a waterfall (simulated by a twisted glass rod), is followed by a rowing boat, an other rowing boat carrying a wedding party, a swan and a selling boat in a merry-go-round. White enamel with Breguet numerals. Blued steel Breguet bands. Enamel panel below the dial with military trophies and flags. Gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement with plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring and regulator, gilt brass continental cock with polished steel endpiece. The independent musical train with pointed barrel and six stacked vibrating steel blades. The merry-go-round is driven by the musical train. Signed on the dial. In very good condition. Dim. 90 x 48 mm. Notes A similar telescope from the M. Sandoz collection is illustrated in A. Chapuis and E. Droz: Les Automates, page 192, fig. 220-221.