413,000 HKD
“Oiseau Chanteur” Frères Rochat, Geneva, No. 457, made for the Chinese market, circa 1820. Very fine and rare, 18K varicolored gold and enamel singing bird box. Accompanied by a fitted Morocco leather box. Notes The present box is an excellent testimony to the exceptional work of the brothers Rochat. It is interesting to note that the box with the preceding serial number, 456, was sold by Antiquorum on April 13, 2003, lot 471. This box is illustrated on page 241 of “Flights of Fancy” by Sharon and Christian Bailly, Antiquorum Editions, 2001. Frères Rochat FR (Frères Rochat) These three brothers from Le Brassus in the Vallée de Joux were the sons of David Rochat (1746-1812), who had been received master in 1766 and who made a specialty of singing birds. They were: François Elisée Rochat, (1771-1836). Frédéric Rochat, (1774-1848). Samuel Henri Rochat, (1777-1854). David Rochat formed an association with these three sons around 1800. At the end of the 18th and in the early years of the 19th century David Rochat and sons had furnished bird ebauches to Jaquet Droz, and continued to do so when Jean-Frédéric Leschot took over the Jaquet Droz firm following Henry-Louis Jaquet Droz’ death in 1792. In this they essentially followed the specifications given them by Jacob Frisard, the singing bird specialist of Jaquet Droz and Leschot. When Frisard, seeking to develop his own business, became less available after 1800, Leschot sought to replace him with the Rochats, but this collab
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-04-23
