21,160 CHF
Swiss, circa 1790. "Annette et Lubin" Very fine and elegant, 18K gold and enamel, pearl-set watch with special escapement. Double body, Directoire with white champleve enamelled and split-pearl set bezels, the pendant with paillonne decoration, the enamel back panel painted with a scene of a loving couple paying tribute to Love, outer paillonne decoration. White enamel with radial Arabic numerals. Gold skeletonised "fleur-delys" hands. Hinged gilt bras, very thin Hessen calibre, the going barrel passing through the back plate, Virgule escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring and regulator. Diam. 57 mm. Notes The movement of this watch is very similar to those produced in France by Andre Hessen and Gregson, as early as 1780. The enamel of this watch features the love of Annette for Lubin, the characters of a very popular opera comique towards the end of the 18th century. Annette and Lubin First performed in January 1762 for a wedding, the opera comique Annette and Lubin was an enormous success at the time. The music was written by Adolph Benoit Blaise, Jean Paul Egide Martini and Pierre Alexandre Monsigny. The author of this rural pastorale was Charles Simon Favart (1710-1792), son of a Parisian pastry cook. He became poet and playwright and wrote close to 150 opera librettos. Among his most celebrated plays were Bastier et Bastienne (1753) and Les tsois sultanas (1761). Favart's most successful opera librettos and plays, staged all over Europe Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1999-04-24
