16,100 CHF
Gosselin à Paris, circa 1710. Very rare, silver moon phase astronomical and calendar Louis XIV "oignon". Double body, oignon, polished. Gilt copper with blue Roman numerals on white enamel cartouches, outer enamel minute ring (slightly restored) and inner calendar and age of the moon rings, central blued-steel revolving disk inlaid with gold stars and with aperture for the moon phase. Blued-steel single hand, calendar hand ( replaced) and lunar calendar pointer. Hinged gilt brass full plate with Egyptian pillars chased with Atlantis, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain steel three-arm balance, flat balance spring and gilt brass Louis XIV cock pierced and engraved with scrolled foliage.(later case spring) Signed on the back plate. In very good condition. Diam. 60 mm. Notes Probably Jacques Gosselin, received as Maître in Paris before 1698. Established in rue Mazarine in 1701. He married Marie Avisse, and worked for Gribelin at some time in his career. Died before 1748. Oignon watches with any form of complication on the dial are extremely rare. This example uses a stack of wheels mounted on the hour wheel arbor, and driven by additional turret pins on the fusee drive pinion. They must be placed at the correct settings by hand, and then advance automatically as the watch runs.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1993-11-14
