2,135,000 HKD
“Pendule Mystérieuse Modèle A” Cartier, Paris, made in 1919. Very fine and important “Pendule Mystérieuse Modèle A”, 18K gold, onyx, rock crystal and diamond eight day-going Mystery clock. Rectangular rock crystal case with molded tapered pediment, mounted on a rectangular onyx base with four diamonds set in the corner. White champlevé enamel ring with yellow gold radial Roman numerals, rose-cut diamond-set inner ring, the whole placed within a rectangular frame decorated en suite. Rose-cut diamond-set hands. Rectangular brass frosted and gilt movement with going barrel, gilt platform with straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. Signed on the back of the dial and the base. Dim. Height 137 mm, width at the base 91 mm. Property of an Italian Collector Notes Mystery Clocks The “Pendules Mystérieuses”, or Mystery Clocks, were Cartier's masterpieces, the result of the collaboration of Louis Cartier, his principal creative advisors, and the technical skill of Maurice Couët. These clocks were developed after a careful study of those created by Robert-Houdin, the French magician and clockmaker (1805-1871). Couët was 28 years old when he brought his “mysterious” clock creation to Cartier. The fascination of Couët's invention is based on the principal of an optical illusion. Couët's first mystery clock relied on a lateral double-axle system. In 1920, he devised another model using a single, central axle and subsequently, both methods we
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-06-02
