1,433,500 CHF
The Sacred Mountain In the manner of James Cox, London, Anglo/Chinese (Qianlong period) circa 1780. Magnificent, highly important ormolu, silver, enamel and jeweled musical automata clock for the Oriental market, representing the Sacred Mountain of Taoism. White enamel with roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring, gilt heart-shaped hour and minute hands and blued steel counter-poised center seconds hand. Notes Provenance: Wuppertaler Museum, Germany, acquired 1952. The pair to the present clock belongs to the Sandoz Collection. Mr. Sandoz acquired the clock in 1952. It is now in the Musee de L'Horlogerie, Geneve, Inv. o. AD 431. The clock is illustrated and discussed in Les Automates by A. Chapuis & E. Droz, pp.119, fig.114 and in Automates et Musiques Pendules by Anne Winter-Jensen, item 5, pp. 22-27. During the second half of the 18th century, many musical and automaton clocks, watches, mechanical toys and objects of vertu were imported into China from England. The majority were destined for the Imperial Palaces at Peking, Yuan Ming Yuan and Jehol for the Emperor's delight. These pieces exhibited the fine workmanship and mechanical skill of their makers. The most gifted and prestigious of the London makers was James Cox, who in 1773 formed a museum of mechanical curiosities in Spring Gardens and subsequently sent the pieces to his shop in Canton. The clocks were extremely fanciful pieces, often adorned with mesmeric effects and invariably drawing their inspirati Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-06-14
