3,450 CHF
Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 439705, case No. 274412, circa 1941. Fine 18 ct. pink gold, keyless dress-watch. Three piece, massive, "variée" polished and satine, with knife edge. Two tope gold with applied gold Roman numerals, indexes and sunk subsidiary seconds. Gold "modern" hands. Notes Farouk, King of Egypt & the Sudan The son and successor of Fuad I. Farouk's period of personal rule (1937 onwards) was brought to an end by English pressure, the English seeking to counter-balance Italian intrigues in Egyptian politics and Farouk's leaning towards the Axis powers. In 1942 Farouk was forced to accept Nahas Pacha as Prime Minister. Farouk's weakness during this crisis help fuel Egyptian nationalism, fomented after the defeat of Italy and Germany, by the USSR, and in 1952 the "free officers" of the Army under the leadership of Negib and Nasser carried out a coup-d'état which forced Farouk to abdicate. In exile in Europe, Farouk was a well-known figure in all the most fashionable Casinos and night clubs. Farouk had been an inveterate collector particularly of small applied art objects. Among his extensive collection of "objects of vertu" were a range of watches, primarily enamelled examples of the period 1780 and 1820 with music and - very frequently - erotic scenes. Watches for the Turkish and Far Eastern markets were also well represented as were watches associated with notable near Eastern personalities and products of the Fabergé workshop. Farouk was
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1995-10-21
