37,500 CHF
THE KNIFE GRINDER, WATCH WITH SIX AUTOMATON ACTIONS Esquivillon et Deschoudens à Genève. Made circa 1810. Very fine and very rare, quarter-repeating, 18K yellow gold pocket watch with multicolored gold striking Jacks and an automaton scene of a knife-grinder’s workshop with a total of six automaton actions. Three-body, “Empire”, No. 5065, engine-turned. Gilt brass spring-loaded cuvette fi tted to the movement ring. Annular white enamel with Breguet numerals, outer minute track, center with applied multicolored gold cherubs appearing to strike bells during repeating, gold brick arch below and within an automaton scene depicting a knifegrinder sharpening a knife on a grinding wheel while a boy drives the wheel via a large pulley, blued steel background. Blued steel serpentine hands. 43 mm., 19’’’, frosted gilt, full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusée and chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance with fl at balance spring, pierced and engraved continental balance cock with polished steel endplate, silver regulation dial, repeating on gongs activated by depressing the pendant, automaton driven via repeating train. Cuvette and movement signed. Diam. 59 mm. Notes It is very rare to fi nd an automaton watch with as many as six separate actions. A very few are known with four, fi ve and eight actions, placing the present watch amongst those with the highest number of automaton actions. Esquivillon & Dechoudens Master watchmakers of the 18th century. Gédéon- Fra
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2011-11-13
