19,550 CHF
Henry Capt à Genève, circa 1810. Fine 18K gold musical watch, with automaton scene. Double body, Empire, polished with reeded band, the back engraved with a later monogram. Hinged gilt brass cuvette. Gold small eccentric with Breguet numerals, the centre engraved with a rosette. Below the dial, an automaton lady in classical dress, seated in a park, plays the harp for Cupid. Blued steel “spade” hands. Gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fixed barrel with revolving arbor, cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring, gilt brass cocwith polished steel end-piece. Pinned drum musical train with two sets of six tuned teeth.Signature engraved on the dust rim around the movement.Diam. 56 mm. Notes Henry-Daniel CaptBorn in Chenit in 1773, married Henriette Piguet. He was specialised in the production of complicated watches, musical watches and automaton watches. Among the first in Geneva to use musical mechanism with pinned cylinder and tuned teeth comb, he was famous for his snuffboxes with music and automaton scenes. From Ventôse 16, An X (March 7, 1802), to 1811, he formed a partnership with Daniel Isaac Piguet, native from the same village. Their signature was Piguet & Capt. In 1811, when Piguet brokeff to join Meylan in a new partnership, Henry-Daniel Capt decided to work on his own until, in 1830, he formed a new partnership with Aubert and his son, Place Bel-Air vis-à-vis de la balance. Their signature was Aubert & Capt. They were am
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2000-04-02
