50,600 CHF
The War of the Spanish SuccessionPainted enamel case Augsburg circa 1715, movement No. 2358 expressly made in 1789 by Ferdinand Berthoud, à Paris.Magnificent and extremely rare 20 ct. gold and enamel pair-cased watch. 37.8 mm o, hinged, gilt brass full plate, cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain,cylinder escapement with brass escape wheel, plain three-arm brass balance, single-footed gilded cock, wheel and click set-up, rack and pinion regulator with silver plate.Signed on the dial and the movement.Diam. 44 mm inner case, 51 mm with the outer. Published in the Sandberg book, pages 118-119. Notes A detailed study of the Berthoud archives carried out by Jean-Claude Sabrie, reveal that the movement of this watch was especially made for a particular enamelled case, undoubtedly the current one. It was fitted by Moré, one of Berthoud's best workers, and sold to the provider of the case, Monsieur Muchain.'La Longitude en mer à l'heure de Louis Berthoud et Henri Motel' by Jean-Claude Sabrier, Geneva, Editions Antiquorum, 1993, p. 391.It was a common practice in the eighteenth century to replace the movement in a particularly expensive or beautiful watch case, in order to take advantage of technological advances in horology. Examples can be found in numerous museums and private collections.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2001-03-31
