3,658 CHF
“David Playing the Harp Before King Saul” (Thomas) Rayment, London, No. 179, hallmarked 1764-65. Fine and rare 22K gold pair-cased repoussé watch with date. Outer: two-body, back chased with a scene depicting David playing the harp before King Saul, rocaille bezels. Inner: twobody, “bassine” with deep back, polished. Gold, champlevé radial Roman numerals on matte background, outer arcaded minute ring, outermost five-minute Arabic markers, center with scrolling and date aperture. Blued steel “beetle and poker” hands. 35 mm, hinged, frosted gilt full-plate with pierced pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, steel balance with flat balance spring, single-footed cock. Signed on dial and movement. Diam. 46 mm. To be sold without reserve Notes The scene is taken from Samuel 16:23: “When the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.” It is a scene very rarely found on watch cases. Thomas Rayment worked in London. He was apprenticed in 1708 and became free in 1719. He either retired or died in 1768. Another of his repoussé watches depicting Perseus and Andromeda is in the collection of the Clockmaker’s Company. A very interesting watch in a vase is in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-10-15
