Jos. Martineau Senior, London, hallmarked 1745/46. Case chiselled by Christopher Heckel. | The van Cauwenbergh Collection

The van Cauwenbergh Collection

Hong Kong, Hotel Furama, May 29, 1989

LOT 569

Jos. Martineau Senior, London, hallmarked 1745/46. Case chiselled by Christopher Heckel.

HKD 750,000 - 1,000,000

CHF 150,000 - 200,000

Sold: HKD 1,245,750

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.

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Notes

A cast of the back cartouche and landscape of this watch which appears to have been taken before the pierced and engraved sections where executed is in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum of Cambridge and the original design, pen, pink and wash is in the Yale centre for British Art; Paul Mellon Collection. The actual watch with its original cast and design was exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum: ROCOCO Art and Design in Hogarth's England, May-September 1984.