80,500 HKD
Breguet à Paris, Swiss, circa 1815. “Au son des cloches”Fine and unusual 18K gold, half skeletonised quarter repeating watch with automaton Jacks and a small concealed erotic automaton scene. Three-body, Empire, engine-turned with reeded band, the back centred with engraved Love symbols. Small white enamel chapter ring with Breguet numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. “Martin-Martine” type varicoloured chased gold Jacks, on each sides of the dial over the polished steel repeating work set over the frosted and gilt front plate, strike the hours and quarters on two bells. A small steel panel below the dial with applied gold chased trophies of Love disclose the small automaton eroic scene. Gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring, gilt brass continental cock with polished steel end-piece. Repeating on two gongs by depressing the pendant.Apocryphal signature on the cuvette.Diam. 56 mm. Notes As opposed to most watches of this type, on which the shutters disclosing the erotic automaton scene open by means of a small slide in the band, in this example, the shutters flip open when the pendant is depressed to load the repeating mechanism and close again automatically after the last strike; a small bolt in the band allows to keep the shutters closed.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2000-06-05
