141,000 CHF
Made by John Rich, No. 135, Swiss, circa 1790.Magnificent and rare 18K gold and enamel, centre-seconds, musical watch, carillon on five bells and five hammers, with an automaton scene. The enamel back painted in the manner of Richter. Three-body, Louis XVI, the bezels engraved with azure and black champlevé palm leaf decoration, the enamel back painted in the manner of Richter with a very fine seaside landscape, a citadel on the left, a vessel on the back, a fishing boat on the foreground. The spring loaded back discloses the five coloured gold automaton scene depicting a maiden pumping water into a fountain for a horse to drink; the whole applied over an azure enamel ground. White enamel with Roman numerals and outer mnute and seconds ring. Gold “spade” hands. Gilt brass full plate double train, the going train with fusee and chain, cylinder escapement with plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring with regulator. Pin drum musical train, carillon on five bells with a stack of five hammers, driving the automata by means of cams and levers.Signed on the back plate, beneath the automaton scene.Diam. 62 mm. Notes Watches fitted with a carillon musical movement on five bells with five hammers are extremely rare, even more so when also fitted with an automaton scene.John RichFamous English maker and retailer. He used to work in London and Geneva from the end of the 18th century to circa 1825. He was specialised in automaton and skeleton watches and snuffboxes with m
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2000-04-02
