Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 18, 1997

LOT 23

Breguet & Fils No. 2090, sold to Mr. Esseyd Aly Effendi on 16 September 1808 for 3360 Francs. Very fine 18K gold and enamel pair cased, quarter repeating Grande and Petite Sonnerie striking cabriolet clock watch, made for the Islamic Market.

CHF 230,000 - 250,000

Sold: CHF 234,500

C. Double body outer and three body inner by Amy Gros No. 894, decorated in scarlet flinque enamel the bezels with champleve enamelled decoration, the back with patterns in gold paillons in the Islamic test. The interior of the outer case engraved: "Hadji Assim Effendi " . The inner case can be turned in the outer case so that the watch can be used either as an open face or and a hunter. Gold detachable cuvette. D. White enamel with gilt Turkish numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. Gilt brass dial plate. M. 20"', gilt brass full plate double train with twin barrel retained by a single bridge, overhanging ruby cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance with parechute suspension on the top pivot, blued steel flat balance spring. Grande and Petite Sonnerie on two gongs with two hammers, the Strike/Silent and "Grande/Petite" selection lever in the edge of the dial. Independent quarter repeating train with two hammers and two gongs, with pull-twist piston through the pendant. Signed on the dial, dial plate, cuvette and movement. Accompanied by Breguet certificate No. 2757. Diam. 62 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade: A

Good
Case: 17

Slightly spotted
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 21-51

Period

Partially reprinted

Notes

Provenance: The property of an important American family since the 1920 's. Formerly in the Dollfus collection. Literature: Illustrate and described by George Daniels in The Art of Breguet, p. 207, fig. 201 a-d. Note: Both the decoration and technical features of this watch are typical of the finest examples made by Breguet to conquer the Islamic Market and are in keeping with the specifications established in the exchange of correspondence beween hint and his friend Effendi, then an influential member of the Turkish Government. Esseid Ali Effendi (? - 1809) Born in Mot-6e, he began his career in Istanbul in the Chancellery of the Sublime Porte, In response to the arrival of Marshal Sebastiani as French Ambassador in Istanbul, the Sultan of Turkey sent Ali Effendi to Paris in a similar capacity in 1796. After a stay of three years, he return to Turkey and was put in charge of the Naval Shipyards, eventually becoming Minister for the Navy, and making a substantial contribution towards the reform of the armed forces. Ali Effendi held several positions of importance during the reigns of both Selim IV and Mustafa IV, particularly (luring the negotiations of the Treaty with Napoleon. Flowever, his arrogant nature eventually led to his being ordered away from Istanbul, and he was assassinated in 1809. During his stay in Paris, he became a very good friend of Talleyrand who introduced him to Breguet. Together with his interpreter Malotaky, he soon became one of his best clients from 1798, buying a minute grande sonnerie clock-watch in 1799 and a long-case regulator in 1801. Back to Turkey in 1802, he wrote several letters to his friend Breguet and ordered 10 repeating watches between 1804 and 1808, several less expensive watches and pocket thermometers. He was the first, with his friend Stephanaki, an important watch dealer in Istanbul, to show Breguet all the potential that the Islamic Market could offer if special watches were to be produced for it: they had to be pair cased, made of gold and enamel and to be fitted with white enamel Turkish dials. As Minister of the Turkish Marine in 1804 he ordered for the Emperor Selim II, a repeating watch as good as possible. Information drawn from: Breguet - Watchmaker since 1775, by Emanuel Breguet, Gourcuff Edition, Paris 1997.