9,775 CHF
H. R. Ekegrén, Geneva, No. 18188, made for J. E. Caldwell & Co. Philadelphia, circa 1890. Very fine half hunting-cased 18K gold keyless watch, accompanied by original fitted box. Five-body, "bassine", polished, front with glazed aperture and enameled radial Roman chapters, hinged gold cuvette with engine-turned border. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute ring and sunk subsidiary seconds. Blued steel "double spade" hands. Notes Henri-Robert Ekegrén (1823-1896).He was the son of Daniel Ekegrén, of Swedish origin, who had settled in Copenhagen and married a Danish woman. Henri-Robert, at the early age of twelve, became interested and skillful in watchmaking and engraving. After his apprenticeship, and already equipped with the Swedish, Danish and German languages, he obtained a government fellowship to travel to other watchmaking countries. During one winter he worked for his fellow countryman, Jules Jürgensen, at Locle. In London he worked for a well-known firm and acquired a command of English. In Paris, he worked for the celebrated Winnerl and had for a close friend Adolph Länge.In 1847, he arrived at his longed for destination, Geneva. There he worked the first year with Henri Golay, an expert watch finisher. Over the next ten years he worked with Golay-Leresche where he did finishing, repairing, timing, and waited on customers, for which he was well-equipped, with his command of five languages. In 1857, deciding that it was time to benefit from h
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-11-16
