Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 245

?The Woodcutters? Bordier & Roux et Cie, Genève, No. 10569. The movement and automaton Inventé par Antoine Rojard à Genève. Made in 1802. Extremely fine and rare, 18K gold and enamel, quarter repeating pocket watch with automaton scene, and special movement with special escapement.

CHF 33,000 - 43,000

EUR 20,000 - 28,000 / USD 27,000 - 35,000

Sold: CHF 86,250

C. Two-body, ?Directoire?, polished, Mastermark CL, the band pierced with sound slots. D. Small, white enamel with Breguet numerals, outer minute track and Arabic quarter-hour numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. Very finely painted enamel scene of a woodcutter?s hut in a river landscape, applied multicoloured gold figures of the kneeling woodcutters using a steel band-saw to cut a log, to the left a man up a ladder chopping a tree with an axe, to the right a fountain, above two flying cherubs holding torches and appearing to strike two bells. M. 46 mm., frosted gilt, crescent shaped backplate with two bells sunk into the movement, flared cylindrical pillars, going barrel, virgule escapement, three-arm balance, flat blued steel balance spring, index regulator. Movement signed and numbered, case numbered. Dial scratch signed on the reverse: Ante. Rojard a Geneve, L?an 1802. Scratch signed on the movement below the barrel: Invente L?an 1802, Rojard a Geneve. Bell scratch signed: Cheneviere. Diam. 59 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3-14

Good

Damaged
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-05

Good

HANDS Luminous material reapplied

Notes

The unusual automaton scene depicted in the present watch is particularly clever in that it visually makes use of the sound of the repeating mechanism fly as it whirrs around, the sound being very similar to that of a saw being used. The movement is a rare type where the two stacked bells are sunk into the movement. Most of the few watches known to exist fitted with similar movements, carry the signature of the Geneva watchmaker Chevalier & Cochet. However, other examples have been discovered variously signed by Pepin, Genève, Moricand, Genève and now with the present watch ? Bordier & Cie. It was not known which maker actually invented this type of movement until the discovery of the scratched signature on the present watch. This makes the present watch an important document, adding to our knowledge of the watchmaking industry in Geneva. The bells found in high quality Geneva watches are sometimes signed by the bell-maker Chenevière. One of the bells in the movement of the ?Chinese Peony? watch sold by Antiquorum Geneva, May 15, 2005, Lot 204, was signed by Chenevière. BIO BORDIER et ROUX Watchmakers and merchants, 1770-1810. ?Dictionnaire des horlogers genevois?, by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions, 1998. Antoine Rojard Was most likely the son of Jean-Daniel, a horologist, and was active at the end of the 18th and early 19th centuries. He is known to have produced automaton and unusual watches, including ones with thermometers. The Rojard firm continued until the end of the 19th century and produced among other things repeating watches in the English style. Rojard claimed to have invented an automaton mechanism in which as one function was disengaged another almost immediately engaged, allowing a sequence of mechanical actions to be portrayed. This control mechanism runs from a single wheel and reduces the overall complexity of the mechanism without diminishing the effect or apparent complexity of the automaton. A musical automaton snuffbox employing this system was sold by Antiquorum Geneva, October 19, 2002, Lot 121. Bordier & Cie et Roux Negociants et fabricants d?horlogerie, 1770 ? 1810. "Dictionnaire des horlogers genevois", by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions, Geneva 1998.