$8,625
The Knife Grinder Esquivillon et Deschoudens à Genève. Produced circa 1810. Very fine and rare, quarter-repeating, 18K gold watch with striking Jacks and an automaton scene. Four-body,“Empire”, solid, engine-turned, gilt spring-loaded cuvette. Silver with champlevé radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, center with applied gold cherubs striking bells during repeating, lower part with automaton scene depicting a man sharpening a knife on a grinding wheel while a boy drives the wheel via a large pulley. Gold “arrowhead” hands. 51 mm (23’’’), frosted gilt, full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusée and chain, verge escapement, plain brass balance with flabalance spring, continental cock, repeating on gongs by depressing the pendant, automaton driven via repeating train.Cuvette and movement signed.Diam. 57 mm. Notes A similar watch from the F. Conty Collection, Geneva, is described and illustrated in A. Chapuis and E. Gelis ,“Le Monde des Automates”, 2nd volume, page 35, fig. 297.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-05-26
