570,000 HKD
Breguet, No. 3101, taken into stock on April 19, 1817, sold to Monsieur Blanchet on January 1836, for 400 Francs. Fine and very rare 18K gold, quarter repeating watch with alarm and special escapement, in original red leather fitted box. White enamel with Breguet numerals, secret signature beneath chapter "12". Blued steel Breguet hands. Notes Provenance: Formerly in the Ferguson Collection and subsequently the property of Cecil Clutton, the eminent English collector and author. Sold by Malcolm Gardner in July 1959 to the late Lord I-Iarris of Belmont Park. Literature: Described and illustrated in Antiquarian Horology, Vol. 2, No. 6, March 1958 (photocopy supplied). Note: Watches by Breguet fitted with an alarm train are extremely rare, and in this case, with the addition of quarter repeating and the use of the Robin escapement, it would appear to be unique. According to the fabrication and sales books, the ebauche, in working condition, was purchased from Lallemand for 1130 Francs on 19 April 1817. It then remained in Breguet's workshop until 1819, being converted and finished to his standards, with the cost price rising to 1939 Hanes. For an unexplained reason, it remained in the stock of Maison Breguet for more than 15 years, and was eventually sold for 400 Francs on January 1836. Formerly a pupil of Robin, Lallemand later worked for Louis Berthoud, and after the death of the latter, joined the workshop of Breguet, where he was certainly one of his best workmen. N Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1999-06-07
