39,100 CHF
Bovet, Fleurier, No. 477, Swiss, made for the Chinese Market, circa 1830. Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, pair of centre seconds watches with special escapement, accompanied by a red leather fitted box marked Guinand in Chinese characters. Two body, with fixed bezels fully enamelled with flower and foliage decoration over a black ground. Hinged gold glazed cuvettes. White enamel with Roman numerals and outer minute and seconds ring. Blued steel "spade" hands. Blued and polished steel, " Chinese" calibre with free standing barrel, steel single wheel duplex escapement,polished steel fivearm balances with flat balance springs and regulators. Signed on the movement. Diam. 55 mm. Lot of 2. Notes Previously in the collection of Madame C.......this pair of watches was sold in Paris at the Hotel Drouot on 3 February 1949, lot 64. Swiss were good salesmen and they explained to the Chinese that since China was so far away from Switzerland, it would be best to purchase the watches in pairs so that when one needed to be sent back to the maker for repair or overhaul, they could use the other one in the meantime. Therefore, whether they were simple silver watches or more prestigious executions, Chinese Market watches were always sold in pairs. As for a good many objects of art of Chinese origin most of the prestigious Chinese Market watches that can now be found in the West were brought back by soldiers following two major military operations. The first event was in 1858 Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1997-10-18
