97,000 CHF
Piguet Meylan, No. 4663, retailed by Fd. Aubert, Geneva, made for the Chinese Market, circa 1820. Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, pearlset, quarter repeating centre seconds musical watch with automaton scene. Three body, Empire with split-pearl set bezels, pendant and bow, the band with champleve enamelled decoration, the back enamel panel painted with a very fine composition of Summer flowers over a powder blue ground. White enamel with Roman numerals and outer minute and seconds ring. Gold Breguet hands. Disclosed by the spring-loaded back, the vari-coloured gold automaton scene of a sitting man in classical dress, playing the lyre and children on a see-saw in applied over a finely painted enamel lake-side landscape, a castle on the back ground. Notes Although the Piguet Meylan trademark was clearly rubbed out on the front plate (almost certainly by Ferdinand Aubert) by the retailer who did not wish the maker to be known, this watch was undoubtedly made in the celebrated workshop. Philippe Samuel Meylan, born February 15th, 1772 in Bas-du-Chenit, died in 1845. At 20 years old he came to Geneva where he worked for Godemar Freres in quality of Master worker. Afterward, he went back to Brassus where he founded a little factory in 1811. He returned to Geneva where he settled down definitively. I-Ie met there another watchmaker from his own village, Isaac Piguet, with whom he associated, founding the Piguet & Meylan Firm, which will last from 1811 to 1828. It speci Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1996-10-12
