161,000 HKD
Geneva, attributable to Henry Capt, circa 1815. La Forge de CupidonFine and rare, small 18K gold and enamel, pearl-set musical watch with automaton scene. Three-body, Empire with ribbed band and split-pearl set bezels, the back of blue flinqué enamel. Hinged gilt brass cuvette. Small eccentric gold engine-turned with Roman numerals. Blued steel “spade” hands. The enamel dial plate painted with a Swiss landscape below the dial and applied with a very fine varicoloured gold automaton scene, depicting two cherubs busily working in a forge: one is forging weapons for Venus while another sharps the arrows. Gilt brass double train, with going brrel, cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring with regulator. The musical train with pinned drum, six stacked vibrating blades, driving the automata by means of cams and levers.Diam. 42 mm. Notes Henry-Daniel CaptBorn in Chenit in 1773, married Henriette Piguet. He was specialised in the production of complicated watches, musical watches and automaton watches. Among the first in Geneva to use musical mechanism with pinned cylinder and tuned teeth comb, he was famous for his snuffboxes with music and automaton scenes. From Ventôse 16, An X (March 7, 1802), to 1811, he formed a partnership with Daniel Isaac Piguet, native from the same village. Their signature was Piguet & Capt. In 1811, when Piguet brokeff to join Meylan in a new partnership, Henry-Daniel Capt decided to work on his own until, in 1830, he f
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2000-06-05
