$94,000
Fine Diamond-set Gold and Enamel Carillon Musical Box Attributed to John Rich, movement and case marked No. 1 , signed and dated on the mainspring, Benson & Ibell, August 1796 , playing two tunes on nest of five bells, with finely-chased and engraved gilt-brass skeleton movement, chain-drive fusee wound from the top, and eight-step change-repeat cam lever-operated from the right-hand side, in gold and deep-blue guilloche enamel case with hinged base and lid compartments, the lid with central starburst medallion of rose-cut collet and bead-set diamonds with emanating rays and diamonds in quartre-lune formation at the corners, floral swags and oak leaf borders, the four sides with swags, two with engine-turned pillars in relief flanking enameled Arcadian roundels depicting a rustic bridge and cottage on the two ends, and river bank scenes on the front and back, the base with larger scene in spandrels depicting picturesque ruined lighthouse and ship, 3 1/4 wd. x 1 1/8 ht. x 1 3/4 in.,(possible restoration or repair on two of the panels). Literature: Ord-Hume, The Musical Clock , Chapuis & Droz, (1958), Automata, A Historical and Technological Study . Arthur Ord-Hume notes two instances of the name John Rich in connection with objects of vertue and automata. A John Rich, active in London c. 1750-75, is credited as the maker of an automaton scent bottle, and there is also a maker by the same name recorded in Geneva around 1805. As Chapuis suggests, this length of activity may be e Read more…
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2007-10-28
