Andries Vermeulen

Andries Vermeulen, Amsterdam, No. 959, made for the Chinese market circa 1740. Very fine and rare 20K gold, lapis lazuli, ruby-, emerald-, and diamond-set pair-cased quarter-repeating watch with painted on enamel miniature. Outer: two-body, back with lapis lazuli mounted in repoussé gold in symmetrical rocailles, the top with small enamel portrait of a lady, rose-cut diamond-set frame, sides with ruby-and emerald-set dragons, pierced sides, front bezel in gold-mounted lapis lazuli, ruby and diamond-set floral decoration. Inner: two-body, “bassine”with deep back, band pierced and engraved with sea monsters and a mask. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute Arabic markers. Blued steel “beetle and poker” hands. 31 mm, hinged, frosted gilt full-plate with turned baluster pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, brass balance with flat balance spring, single-footed cock, repeating on bell by depressing the pendant.Signed on the movement.Diam. 47 mm. Notes A rare example of an early watch for the Chinese market made by an eminent Amsterdam clockmaker who specialized in musical clocks. Andries Vermeulen (1680-1752) was an important member of the Amsterdam horological community. One of his clocks, playing 12 melodies on 15 bells, is a complex machine that exemplifies the best of the Amsterdam musical clocks of the period. Another, with equation of time and two automatically changing melodies, can be seen in the Nationaal Museum in Utrech