James Cox, London, No. 232, English circa 1760, made for the Chinese Market. Spectacle tres prive» An exceptionaly fine and rare 22K gold and hardstone snuff box, containing a watch, and a secret compartment revealing an erotic automaton scene.

C. Rectangular with hinged double lid, the sides, top and base with pair-matched panels of grey striated agate all over laid with repousse rococco scroll strapwork intersected with garlands of flowers, opening to access the snuff compartment, the watch contained within the bombe lid panel, secret secondary opening on the same hinge to reveal a finely chased panel and an ivory painted panel depicting a group of ladies and a young girl gazing in rapt attention at a «magical» box operated by a gentleman holding out his cocked hat into which the audience are breathlessly dropping their coins in anticipation of the coming spectacle. Clearly the 18th century was a period of role reversal with scant regard for the protection of minors. Sliding out a diminutive appendage on the edge of the box activates the show beginning with the disappearance of the front panel, followed by a static display of a lady and gentlemen partly disrobed in a semi can-can position, closely followed by a rather stiff representation of coitus verticalis and coming finally to the automaton scene conducted in similarly upright stance, but nonetheless proving that they certainly can-can. D. White enamel, Roman numerals with winding aperture at 7 o 'clock. Pierced gold hands. M. Gilt brass full-plate, with turned pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain 3-arm steel balance, flat spring with regulator. Signed on the movement . Dim: 80 x 47 x 58mm.

Unsigned, Geneva, circa 1770. "Scenes bucoliques" Fine 18K varicoloured gold and enamel oval snuff box.

Double body, oval, fully chased with trophies and floral decoration the lid and base centred with enamel panels within blue enamel frames, depicting pastoral scenes of courting shepherd and shepherdess; the band decorated en suite with four similar oval enamel panels painted only with shepherdesses. Dim. 72 x 52 x 33 mm.

Unsigned, circa 1800. "Cachez ce sein que je ne saurais voir" Fine and rare 18K gold mounted tortoiseshell snuff box with painted automaton scene, in original sharkskin fitted box.

Two piece circular with gold rims, the glazed cover with gold bezel and a finely painted automaton scene depicting Tartuffe and Elmire in the celebrated play by Moliere. Diam. 74 mm

Unsigned, Swiss, circa 1820. Changeont Minon (Echangeons Minou) Fine and highly unusual double face, erotic mechanical, moon phase astromomical calendar watch key.

C. Massive gilt brass, glazed both faces. D. White enamel on the front with months and dates of the month, the centre inscribed: "Changeont Minon". Blued steel "arrow" counterpoised hands. White enamel on the back with phases of the moon and clays of the week with their associated planets, the centre painted with a charming scene depicting a maiden, seated in a landscape, holding a mouse by the tail and offering to swap it with the object of her desires held by her pussicat. Blued steel "arrow" hands. M. Brass with stacked click works set on each side of a thick single plate and all activated when the key is inserted in a winding square. Diam. 41 x 27 mm.

Duchene & Compagnie, (Geneve), No. 16257, circa 1790. "De la table au lit" Fine 18K gold and enamel watch with concealed painted enamel erotic scene.

C. Three body, Louis XVI, polished, the back enamel panel painted with a scene depicting a young couple leaving the table for the alcove. The back opens to reveal the scene painted on the enamel backing, featuring the same couple few minutes later. D. White enamel with Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring. Gold "poker and beetle" hands. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, flat balance spring, gilt brass continental cock with polished steel end-piece. Signed on the dial and back plate. Diam. 44 mm.

Virel a Geneve, circa 1810. "Le repos du guerrier" Fine gilt brass watch with concealed painted enamel erotic scene.

C. Three body, Empire, polished with godrooned band, the back disclosing a fine painted enamel scene depicting a young dragon, back from the war, riding a new type of mount. D. White enamel with Breguet numerals. Gold hands. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, flat balance spring, gilt brass continental cock with polished steel end-piece. Signed on the dial and back plate. Diam. 41 mm.

Unsigned, Swiss, circa 1810. "Le loup clans la bergerie" Fine gilt brass watch with decorated dial and concealed painted enamel erotic scene.

C. Three body, Directoire, polished, the back disclosing a fine painted enamel scene depicting a young monk, dressed as a nun to meet his sweetheart. D. White enamel chapter ring with Arabic numerals on green cartouches, the silver centred repousse with a scene depicting a Cupid in a park. Gold half-moon hands. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, flat balance spring, gilt brass continental cock with polished steel end-piece. Diam. 55 mm.

Carved ivory, France (probably Dieppe), circa 1780. Tendre caresse ' , Very fine ivory statue carved in the round, featuring a kneeling maiden paying tribute to her Master.

Henri Vetinot, circa 1890. Le Nirvana>, Very fine miniature, painted on ivory, in a fitted compressed horn box.

Very finely painted, the miniature features the sweetest dream of Sappho. Dim. 80 x 60 mm.

Unsigned, (Geneve) attributable to Piguet & Capt, circa 1810. "Musique de chambre" Extremely fine and unique, 18K gold and enamel musical snuff box with two automaton scenes and a built-in watch with special escapement. The central enamel panel painted in the manner of Dupont. Accompanied by the original red flinque enamelled key.

C. Four body, oblong, the rounded end hinged lids with blue flinque enamel, the borders with black champleve enamel decoration; the rectangular central hinged enamel panel decorated with the scene: "The Alliance between Love and Wine" after the painting of 1744 by J. M. Nattier (1685-1766), engraved by F. Joullain in 1751. Blue flinque enamel band with white and azure champleve enamelled borders and four white, black and azure motives. The base decorated en suite with hinged central panel. The top central enamel lid discloses an enamel automaton scene of an innocent musician's quartet, together with the dials of the watch. The hinged central lid of the base, opens to reveal an enamelled erotic automaton scene, which depicts the same quartet though playing a rather different tune. D. Small eccentric white enamel with Roman numerals and symmetrical subsidiary seconds. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. Square gilt brass full plate double train, the going train with fixed barrel with revolving arbor, virgule escapement, plain brass threearm balance countersunk on the back plate, blued steel balance spring with regulator. Pin drum musical train with six pairs of stacked steel blades, the pin drum passing through the back plate and driving, by means of cams and levers, the six different movements of the automata in the innocent scene and the five movements of the automata in the erotic scene. Dim. 129 x 46 x 19 mm.

Unsigned, Swiss, circa 1790. "Indiscretion" Very fine and highly unusual 18K gold quarter repeating watch with the bells incorporated within the movement and concealed painted erotic automaton scene with independent movement.

C. Three body, Directoire, polished, a secret push piece beneath the bezel open the back to reveal the painted automaton scene featuring the blessedness of the Peeping Tom. D. White enamel with Breguet numerals and outer minute ring. Polished "spade" hands with blued steel tips. M. Hinged gilt brass inverted one quarter plate with cylindrical pillars, going barrel, cylinder escapement, plain brass threearm balance, blued steel flat balance spring. Repeating by depressing the pendant on two bells included in the movement. Automaton movement concealed in the back with going barrel driving the automata by means of cams and levers. Diam. 59 mm.

Piguet Meylan, Geneva, circa 1820. Le missionnaire» Fine and rare 18K gold, quarter repeating, musical watch with a concealed enamelled erotic automaton scene.

C. Three body, Empire with reeded band and engineturned back. Hinged gilt brass cuvette. Very fine automaton scene concealed beneath the cuvette. Applied to a gold enamelled panel depicting a boudoir, a gold automaton couple executed in multicoloured gold and driven by the musical train, are devoting themselves to basic reality. D. White enamel with Breguet numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. Gilt brass going barrel, inverted cylinder escapement with plain brass three-arm balance and flat balance spring. Pin disc musical train playing on the hour or at will, with comb of 29 teeth, grouped by pairs. Quarter-repeating on two gongs by depressing the pendant. Piguet Meylan Trademark punched on the cuvette and on the front plate beneath the dial. Diam. 57 mm.

Not signed, Swiss, circa 1820. «Mail oil sont mes vertes atmees!» Fine and very rare 18K gold watch, the inner painted automaton scene with concealed erotic automata.

C. Three body, Empire, polished, the band chased with a foliage decoration. D. White enamel with Breguet numerals. Blued steel "scones" hands. M. Gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fixed barrel, cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring. The back plate covered with a multi-coloured gold automaton scene applied on a finely painted enamel bedroom scene. The applied automaton figures represent an aged lady dreaming of the pleasures of her youth, revealed by means of a bolt in the dial plate. The automaton movements are driven by an independent wheel train with fixed barrel. Diam. 57 mm.

Unsigned, Swiss, circa 1815. "Au son des cloches" Fine 18K gold, half skeletonised quarter repeating watch with automaton Jacks and a small concealed erotic automaton scene.

C. Three body, Empire, polished with needed band. D. Small white enamel chapter ring with Breguet numerals. Blued steel "scotties" hands. "Martin- Martine" type varicoloured chased gold Jacks, on each sides of the dial over the polished steel repeating work set on the gilt brass front plate engraved with scrolls of foliage, strike the hours and quarters on two bells. A small varicoloured gold panel below the dial, chased with a vase of flowers, a dove and a butterfly, discloses the small automaton erotic scene driven by the repeating train. M. 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. Diam. 57 mm.

Unsigned, Swiss, circa 1815. "Un amour pent en cacher un autre" Fine 18K gold, half skeletonised quarter repeating watch with automaton Jacks and a small concealed erotic automaton scene.

C. Three body, Empire, engine-turned with reeled band and bezels. D. 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 on the gilt brass front plate engraved with scrolls of foliage, strike the hours and quarters on two bells. A blued steed plate, below the dial, with an applied varicoloured gold chased Cupid, discloses the small automaton erotic scene driven by the repeating train. M. 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. Diam. 59 mm.

Kinable a Paris, No. 1517, circa 1830. "Qui aime bien chatie bien" Very fine and unusual 18K gold quarter repeating watch with a concealed libertine scene.

C. Three body with fixed betel, fully chased with foliage over a matted ground. Painted on ivory, and concealed in the back, is a very fine libertine miniature which can charmingly illustrate Shakespeare's words

Grading System: AAA

CHF 12,000 - 14,000

USD 8,000 - 9,500