Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

New York, Omni Berkshire Place Hotel, Jun 20, 1998

LOT 498

Geneva, circa 1815, the enamel painted in the manner of Isaac Adam. "La Petite Sainte Famille" Magnificent gold and enamel musical snuff box with concealed erotic automaton scene.

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C. Rectangular, the hinged snuff compartment lid with a finely painted scene depicting the Madonna and Child with St. Elizabeth and the infant St. John, the Baptist, after the painting by Giulio Romano, now in the Louvre (small old repair near edge). The body decorated with blue guilloche enamel over a black gothik trellis design, the rounded corners with stylised pine cone motifs in white, black and blue champleve enamel with chased decoration. Base panel decorated with blue and black guilloche enamel en suite with the sides, with concealed thumb piece and opening to reveal the erotic automaton scene, painted in enamels on gold and inset within a chased frame (small invisible repair). A gentleman in splendid oriental style costume attends stylishly and with variations in speed and strength to a lady draped deliciously on a chaise longue, while another gentleman furtively observes the scene. In the background a small painting on the wall provides additional stimulation or perhaps a reminder of an alternate technique. M. Two-tune pin-barrel musical movement with the comb teeth in groups of three. Additional wheel train for off-set winding and small section of fusee chain activating the automaton off a segmented wheel attached to the pin-barrel. Stop/Start and Tune change detents in the edge of the case. M. Bordier signed on the musical movement. F. Alibert scratched signature along the comb block. Jean-Georges Remond Master mark inside the box. Dims. 90 x 69 x 34 mm.


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Grading System
Case: 19

Dent(s)
Movement: 2-10

Very good

Patinated

Notes

Bordier, Geneva Several makers of watches and automata with the family name of Bordier are recorded as working in Geneva in the first part of the 19th century. Notable are Leonard, recorded circa 1800 and Bordier Freres, 1815 - 1830. David Tallis notes an M. Bordier as a maker of fine small musical movements, 1815-1830. Literature: Tallis, David, Musical Boxes, London 1971, pp. 27, 119, 120. Francois Alibert Recorded as working in Geneva, rue J ,j. Rousseau, 10, during the first half of the 19th Century. Isaac Adam, Geneva (1768-1841) Isaac Adam was the son of Louis-Alexandre Adam (Paris 1740- 1813), a painter on enamel who had settled in Geneva and, around 1766, was in partnership with J.-G. Viollier, J. Fallerly and his sons. Isaac Adam followed in the footsteps of his father as painter on enamel and went into partnership with him. Like his father, he specialized in the decoration of watch cases and snuff-boxes and their work therefore spanned two generations of Geneva painters on enamel. Isaac Adam's work, which he signed: ADAM or A, is characterized by the exquisiteness and harmony of colours and outlines. He excelled in his art and is regarded as one of the major artists in the finest tradition of Geneva enamel painting. Jean-Georges Remond Geneva, goldsmith, active from 1783 to 1815/20. Master Goldsmith 22 December 1783 and struck his first Master mark. Seven years later he appears to have formed a company: George Remond & Cie., which eventually became circa 1800, Remond, Mercier, Lamy & Cie. During the French occupation of Switzerland by Napoleon, J.G. Remond recorded marks which were in accordance with the laws of the newly formed Departement of Leman, i.e. his initials within a lozenge. From 1815 to 1820, the firm Lamy, Remond, Mercier, Daniel Berton, used a similar mark, but no longer enclose by a lozenge. It seems that Remond retired or died during this partnership, since in 1820 a new firm of Mercier, Blondel and Berton was formed. However this new company only lasted a further seven years, until 14 April 1827. Remond' s different Master marks: 1 G g between. laurel branches, tiara 1780 - 1790. with a. (turn above, circa 1790 - 1800. c la R circa 1800 - 1810. R&C &C in a lozenge, circa 1810 - 1815. 1815, before 1820. The box now offered for sale is after a painting by Guilio Romano (1499-1556) entitled The Holy Family, and now preserved in the Louvre, Paris. Giulio Pippi known as Giulio Romano (1499-1556) Italian painter and architect, born in Rome, Giulio Romano was pupil to Raphael. He was the architect and decorator of the Palazzo del Te, in Mantua, where he died. The painting in the Louvre which inspired the enameller of the watch was for a long time attributed to Raphael. The scene painted on the enamel back of a watch designed as a heart, made by Johann Martin in Augsporg, circa 1675 and sold on November 1997, (Antiquorum in Love, lot No. 35) was inspired by the same painting.