54,000 HKD
Hoop-La Chevalier et Compe. , (Geneva et Paris), No. 2601. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1790. Fine, 18K gold and painted on enamel pocket watch. Two-body, “Directoire”, the back painted with a scene of children playing a game of hoop-la in a landscape, Imperial translucent blue enamel background over sunray engine-turning, gold paillon border, bezel decorated with white enamel dots on an Imperial blue ground. White enamel with Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions and Arabic fifteen-minute numerals, winding aperture at 2 o’clock. Gold beetle and poker hands. 43 mm., frosted gilt, fusee and chain, verge escapement with micrometric potence adjustment, three-arm brass balance, flat balance spring, continental balance cock with polished steel endplate, silver regulation dial. Dial and movement signed. Diam. 52 mm. Notes For an article on the sources of design for rustic English-inspired scenes on Swiss watches for the Chinese market see: The Influence of Art on Watch Case Design, Richard Chadwick, Vox Magazine, Summer 2006.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2009-06-27
