436,600 HKD
"The Agate Flask" Lépine a Paris. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1770. Very rare and important, gold and dendritic “moss agate” scent flask fitted with a very small clockwatch movement. Pear-shaped flask mounted with polished panels of dendritic “moss agate”, foil backed with silver, engraved gold framework and neck, the foot with a hinged cover set with an agate panel forming a compartment to hold the key, stopper with a colored gem-set pinecone finial, secured by a chain to the neck ofthe flask. White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals, Arabic five minute markers. Rose diamond-set hands. 21 mm., frosted gilt, tapering cylindrical pillars, two springbarrels, cylinder escapement, three-arm balance, flat balance spring, striking the hours on a bell, mounted in a drum case with pierced and engraved sound-fret. The bell scratched-signed "Drury". Dim. 127 x 60 x 19 mm. Property of an Israeli Collector Notes Scent flasks incorporating clockwatches are very rare and the present flask has a particularly small striking movement. A French made example is very unusual because most of the flasks to survive from the 18th century are of English manufacture. The celebrated maker of mechanical curiousities and objets d'art, James Cox (circa 1723-1800) is the name most associated with these pieces. In Switzerland, the famous workshop of Jaquet Droz produced a small number of flasks which are of superb quality. Dendritic agate, more comonly known as "moss agate" is chalc
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-06-02
