46,000 HKD
A(braham) Chapuis & Barral, fecit a Genève, 1812. Very fine musical watch of unusual construction with quarter-repeating, accompanied by a gold chain and a key. Four-body, “Empire”, polished back, reeded band and bezels, gilt hinged cuvette. White enamel, Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions, winding aperture at 4. Blued steel “Breguet” hands. 50 mm (22’’’), fixed barrel, cylinder escapement, three-arm brass balance with flat balance-spring, repeating on gongs by depressing the pendant, pinned cylinder musical movement with 35 tuned vibrating blades divided into twelve sections of three blades each and one of two, pinion governor in eccentric socket for tempo adjustment, gold engine-turned cover over the pinned cylinder.Signed on the pinned cylinder.Diam. 58 mm. Notes An interesting watch by makers about whom little is known. The construction is unusual, with a pinned cylinder for the music instead of the more usual pinned barrel and by placing the gongs on the pillar plate under the dial. Literature: the watch is described by Katheleen H. Pritchard in Swiss Timepiece Makers, West Kennebunk, 1997, p. C-27.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-06-06
