21,275 CHF
“Crown Imperial” Probably Dutch, circa 1670, the movement by Richard Webster, London, No. 3965, circa 1760. Extremely fine and very rare, 20K gold and painted on enamel pendant watch. Accompanied by a leather covered fitted box. To be sold without reserve. Two-body, "bassine" with curved-in edge, very finely painted with flowers on white background, azure counter-enamel, gold engraved split bezel. White enamel with radial Arabic numerals, outer minute ring. Gold "beetle and poker" hands. 29 mm, hinged, frosted gilt full-plate with cylindrical pillars, fusée and chain, cylinder escapement, plain steel balance with flat balance spring, single-footed cock. Movement signed. Diam. 38 mm. Notes Very few watches with this type of enamel have survived. The most important examples are in the Louvre (inv. OA 8303), the Walters Museum in Baltimore (inv. 58.148, formerly in the Demidoff Collection), and the Patek Philippe Museum. Around the beginning of the 17th Century, the flower was elevated to a status of beauty worthy of being painted. This period also witnessed the growth of florilegium, a collection of flower plants, usually printed by copperplate, as opposed to earlier woodcut prints. More than anything they were intended as design sources. In 1611, J.T. de Bry began his work Icones Plantarum, which focused on garden plants. "Still life" paintings of flowers were soon quite common. It appears that the artist who painted the present watch drew inspiration from Florileg
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2005-10-16
