Cusin

Cusin, Molins, Swiss, circa 1630. Extremely rare silver-gilt reliquary cross watch. hree body, chased and engraved with strawberry foliage and fruits intermingled with scenes of the Passion as follows: the band with crowing cock , the cross, the scourge, and crown of thorns (small section lacking), the cover with the crucifixion,the back with the Virgin and Child, the interiors with religious symbols, cast pendant (button finals lacking). Silver dial plate with similar foliage decoration and further details from the Passion (retaining spring lacking) with applied gilt chapter-ring, Roman numerals. Single gilt hand. Cross-shaped full-plate gilt brass with turned baluster pillars, fusee with gut line, ratchet wheel set-up (wheel and click lacking), three wheel train, verge escapement, balance without spring, pierced irregular pinned cock (table partly missing and steel work rusty throughout, but recoverable). Circular, foliage pierced reliquary drum fixed between the plates, opposite the fusee. Dim. 60 x 34 mm Notes The small pierced drum housed between the plates and having the appearance of a fixed alarm type barrel, is clearly original, but has no mechanical fonction. Moreover it is too complex in form to be purely decorative, but perfectly suited to house a small relie. In the circumstances it would appear to be unique.