$2,990
"The Cittern"Lepold Spickol in Wien, No. 117, circa 1810.Fine and amusing, 14K gold and enamel pearl-set form watch with a concealed dial, in the shape of a cittern. two-body, "fermée" type, the sound-board with translucent scarlet enamel over a flinqué ground, decorated with a single leaf branch, the border and sound-hole set with half pearls, the balance cock visible through the sound-opening, the front of the neck with dark blue enamel straps separated by gold bars, the sound-box with blue champlevé enamel decorated with a single leaf branch and with an open musical score, the back of the neck in translucent dark enamel, the border with a geometrical pttern, the band with a gold floral pattern alternating with half pearls. white enamel, Roman chapters, outer minute ring. Blued steel "Breguet" hands. 22 mm, hinged, gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain three-arm brass balance, continental cock pierced and engraved with scrolls and foliage.Movement signed. Diam. 67 x 28 mm. Notes The cittern, also called the "English guitar" during the eighteenth century, is an instrument of great antiquity, and was exceedingly popular in Shakespeare's time.An almost identical watch was in the Lord Sandberg Collection, sold by Antiquorum in Geneva on March 31, lot 167.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2001-11-28
