94,400 HKD
“Concealed Erotic Scene” French. Paris discharge marks of Jean Baptiste Fouache for 1774-80. Very fine and very rare, gold, painted on enamel and gilt brass sealing-wax case, set with semi-precious stones, with a miniature watch and concealed erotic enameled scene. Gilded metal sheath with floral and foliate decoration in relief, two sides with applied silver decoration set with multi-colored stones, hinged two-body vari-colored gold top houses the watch, the back of which has a painted on enamel portrait of a lady. The bottom of the sheath has a dendritic (moss) agate on one side and a painted enamel medallion with a portrait of a lady within a frame of ruby-colored stones on the other. The medallion can be rotated revealing a potentially incandescent scene between the lady and a gentleman. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer dot minute divisions, five-minute Arabic numerals. Gold "Louis XVI" hands. Oval, 21.5 x 18 mm., built on three levels, brass, cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain three-arm brass balance with flat spring, mounted between the third and fourth plate. Dim. Length 145 mm., width 20 mm. Notes Published in the book of the collection of Lord Sandberg, page 382-383. Sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, “The Sandberg Watch Collection”, March 31, 2001, lot 25.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-11-25
