Henry Capt, Genève, circa 1800
Very fine and extremely rare 18-carat gold musical quarter repeating watch with two automatons. Triple body 'Empire' engine turned case. Small off-set white enamel dial with Roman numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. The dial plate with an enamel painted landscape, a castle on the left and on the foreground an applied three coloured gold chiselled automaton scene with a lady playing the harp and a young boy drawing her portrait. Gilt brass double train movement with free standing barrel, inverted cylinder escapement with plain five armed steel balance. Musical train with pointed disc and vibrating steel blades, repeating on gongs. In very good condition. Diam. 60 mm.
HKD 200,000 - 300,000
CHF 40,000 - 60,000
Sold: HKD 230,000
Henry Capt, Genève, circa 1800 (signed on the movement dust rim).
Fine and rare 18-carat gold and enamel quarter repeating musical watch with three automatons. Double body 'Empire' case with reeded band. Gilt brass cuvette. Small gold off-set dial with Breguet numerals, a roset engraved at the centre. Steel 'spade' hands with blued tips. Gold dial plate with an enamel painted landscape (slightly restored) and below the dial, an applied five coloured chiselled gold automaton scene, depicting a lady playing on the lyra and a Cupid playing the drum, while a dove appears on a bush to feed the female on the nest. Gilt brass full plate double train movement, with cylindrical pillars, cylinder escapement, brass plain three armed balance with diamond endstone, English type cock, partly sunk on an applied gilt brass plate, engraved with scrolls. Musical train with six piled up steel blades and a pointed barrel. In good condition. Diam. 58 mm.
HKD 190,000 - 230,000
CHF 38,000 - 45,000
Sold: HKD 195,500
Humbert & Mairet, Geneve, circa 1800.
Very fine and important double face 18-carat gold and enamel watch with three automatons depicting: ' The forge'. Double body case with polished bezels. White enamel dial with Arabic numerals. Gold 'Croissant' hands. On the rear face, an enamel painted rupestral landscape with a pouring automaton fountain and on the foreground an applied three coloured gold chiselled automaton scene of the forge with a blacksmith blowing the fire while another one is hammering an horseshoe. Double train full plate gilt brass movement with fusee and chain, cylindrical pillars, verge escapement with plain brass three armed balance. In very good condition. Diam. 55 mm.
HKD 200,000 - 250,000
CHF 40,000 - 50,000
Sold: HKD 230,000
Very rare and fine double face 18-carat gold and enamel watch with four automatons, depicting 'Le forgeron de flèches'. Double body case with polished bezels. White enamel dial with Breguet numerals. Blued steel 'spade' hands. On the rear face, an enamel painted mountain landscape with on the foreground an applied three coloured gold chiselled automaton scene with a pouring fountain, a cupid blowing the fire while two other cupids are forging the weapons of Venus. Double train full plate gilt brass movement with ' fusee' and chain, cylindrical pillars, verge escapement with plain brass three armed balance. In very good condition. Diam. 58 mm.
HKD 200,000 - 300,000
CHF 40,000 - 60,000
Sold: HKD 218,500
Very fine and rare double side 18-carat gold and enamel pearl set automaton watch depicting: "Le forgeron de flbches", in an original Morocco fitted case. Double body case with split pearl-set bezels. White enamel dial with Roman numerals (slightly restored on the edge). Blued steel hands. An enamel painted rupestral landscape on the rear face, with on the foreground a three coloured gold chiselled automaton scene with a pouring fountain, a knife-grinder cupid and another cupid forging the weapons of Venus. Double train full plate gilt brass movement with ' fusee' and chain, cylindrical pillars, verge escapement with plain brass three armed balance. In very good condition. Diam. 54 mm.
HKD 200,000 - 300,000
CHF 40,000 - 60,000
Rare and fine double side 18-carat gold and enamel pearl-set quarter repeating watch with automatons. Double body case with split pearl-set bezel and reeded band. White enamel dial with Arabic numerals (slightly restored on the edge and small hair cracks). Gold ' Croissant' hands. On the rear face, an enamel painted dark night garden landscape with an applied three coloured gold chiselled automaton scene of three pouring fountains with on each side, two Jacks striking the quarters at will. Gilt brass movement with inset bells, cylindrical pillars, cylinder escapement with plain brass three armed balance. Repeating by depressing the pendant. In very good condition. Diam. 55 mm.
HKD 200,000 - 300,000
CHF 40,000 - 60,000
Edouard Juvet, Fleurier, No 42355, circa 1835.
Very fine 18-carat gold and enamel centre second watch for the Chinese market. Double body case, the fixed bezel with 'champlevé' enamelled decoration, an enamel painted pastoral scene on the back, depicting a shepherd playing the flute for two young girls, further 'champlevé' decoration on the edge. Gold cuvette. White enamel dial with Roman numerals. Blued steel ' pear` hands. Fine fully engraved gilt brass movement, 'Chinese' caliber with free standing barrel, duplex escapement, plain equilibrated three armed steel balance. In very good condition. Diam. 60 mm.
HKD 200,000 - 250,000
CHF 40,000 - 50,000
Anonymous, Swiss, in the manner of Jaquet Droz & Leschaut, circa 1785.
Outstanding 18-carat gold and enamel quarter repeating pearl set watch with erotic automatons, made for the Chinese market. Triple body case, bezel and back set with split pearls, extremely fine enamel painted scene on the back depicting 'the rapt of Helena by Pâris' (slightly restored on the edge). The back opens by means of a push piece on the band, revealing an automaton erotic scene with two enamelled personnages applied over a very finely painted boudoir (slightly restored). The action starts automatically when the lid is open and stops as soon it is closed. White enamel dial, with Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring. Blued steel Breguet hands. Double train gilt brass movement on two levels with inset bells, going barrels, cylinder escapement, plain brass three armed balance. Independant movement for the automatons. Repeating by depressing the pendant. In good condition. Diam. 62 mm.
HKD 400,000 - 500,000
CHF 80,000 - 120,000
Sold: HKD 460,000
Jos. Martineau Senior, London, hallmarked 1745/46. Case chiselled by Christopher Heckel.
Highly important and magnificent silver pair cased quarter repeating, hour striking musical coach watch. Very fine double body pierced and chiselled leather covered outer case with pique work and fine scrolled foliage silver decoration. The magnificent double body inner case signed: 'C. H.', is chased from in front and embossed with a classical landscape, ruins on the foreground, within a large cartouche, outer pierced and engraved panels foliage and bandwork between chased shell and scrollwork. Fine 'champlevé' silver dial with Turkish numerals. Elaborated blued steel hands. Fine silver dust cap, the edge pierced and engraved with scrolls and musical trophies. Outstanding gilt brass full plate double level movement with conical pillars, 'fusee' and chain, verge escapement with plain brass three armed balance and fine large English cock pierced and engraved with scrolls. Musical train with fixed barrel, pointed cylinder, 7 bells and 12 hammers playing 2 tunes: MIRLITON AND BRITTONS - STRIKE HOME. Repeating on 2 bells. In very good condition. Diam. 146 mm.
HKD 750,000 - 1,000,000
CHF 150,000 - 200,000
Sold: HKD 1,245,750