215,250 CHF
“Le Cerf-volant” Piguet & Meylan and Frédéric Rochat, Genève, No. 581, music attributed to Nicole Frères, No. 634, completed circa 1828, retailed by Honoré Pons, Paris, at No. 1089. Very fine and extremely rare, bronzed and ormolu, hour and half-hour striking musical clock with singing bird automata. Designed as a Medici vase, the movement set in the bronzed body, with foliate gilt bronze bezel, applied ribbons and acanthus decoration, “eggs and dots” on the collar border, musical movement in the oval mahogany veneered base with glass dome protection. Automaton scene with multicolored feathered bird with moving body, wings, tail, opening beak and turning head, perched on the fountain and flanked by realistic compositions of potted flowers and foliage. In the foreground, a boy and a girl on a gilt seesaw are flying a paper kite. White enamel, radial Roman numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. Brass, circular, “mouvement de Paris” type by Honoré Pons (Paris), No. 1089, with going barrel for both the going and striking trains, anchor escapement, short pendulum with silk suspension. Striking on a bell with count wheel on the back plate. Brass full plate singing bird and automaton movement with fusee and chain, stacked cams, fly regulator and shaped bellows for the bird, the three twisted glass rods of the fountain driven by means of a cam and levers. Musical movement playing three tunes in the base with going barrel, fly regulator, 23.5 cm pinned cylinder with comb of 32 group
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-11-14
