$6,325
The Spinning Wheel Breguet et Fils. Produced in the Neuchâtel area circa 1820. Very fine, quarter-repeating, 18K gold automaton watch with striking Jacks. Four-body,“Empire”, solid, back cover engine turned in “sunburst” pattern, reeded band, spring-loaded gilt brass cuvette. White enamel ring with Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions, center with automatondepicting a lady working at a spinning wheel in front of open curtains while above two cupids strike bells when repeating, all on a blued steel plate. Blued steel “Breguet” hands. 50 mm (22’’’), gilt brass, full plate, fusée and chain, verge escapement, plain three-arm brass balance, blued steel flat balance spring, continental cock, the automaton driven from the repeating train, repeating on gongs by depressing the pendant.Cuvette signed, case punched with Neuchâtel guarantee mark.Diam. 55 mm. Notes Charming automata watches with theatrical decoration were made for a few short years around 1820. One with identical decoration was sold by Antiquorum in Hong Kong on June 9, 2001, lot 484.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-05-26
