Charity” Henry Capt

“Charity” Henry Capt, a Genève. Made circa 1850. Very fine, 18K gold, painted on enamel, rectangular diamond-set silk-lined coin purse fitted with a concealed watch and a concealed portrait. Four-body, hinged, the lid with central spring-loaded watch cover decorated with translucent green enamel set with graduated rose-cut diamonds, surrounded by floral and foliate engraving and engine-turning within translucent green and opaque white enamel frames, the back with painted on enamel hinged cover depicting a lady with children in an Alpine setting, representing Charity, opening the cover reveals a photograph on enamel portrait of a gentleman, the inside lined with three green silk compartments, short chain with gold suspension ring. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute track. Blued-steel “spearhead” hands. 18 x 32.6 mm., rectangular, gilt brass bridge caliber, 10 jewels, cylinder escapement, plain gilt threearm balance, flat balance spring, index regulator with a pin protruding through to the dial side. Dim. 80 x 53 mm. Property of an Italian Collector Notes The finely painted on enamel representation of Charity depicted as a lady with six children is a scene derived from 16th Century Italian painting and is of course an appropriate subject to be used on a purse. This was probably copied by the Geneva enameler from an engraving and he has used artistic license in painting the quasialpine landscape. The present lot was previously sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, No