1,690,500 CHF
Geneva, attributable to Frères Rochat, made for the Chinese market, circa 1820. Extremely rare and magnificent pair of gold and enamel pearl- and diamond-set singing bird pistols. Made entirely of gold and enamel in the form of a double-barreled flintlock pistol, conjoined hexagonal barrels in translucent dark blue enamel over flinqué with gold scrollwork simulating damascene work, the opening set with diamonds and terminating with hinged panel enameled on the outside with black enamel and inside painted with a bird among flowers, the gold pan sides with rectangular gold plaques with concave corners, one depicting a sleeping lion, the other an antelope with black enamel border in diamond-set frame, the bottom of the pan decorated with a pattern of alternating straps of gold and black enamel, the grips with translucent scarlet enamel over engine-turning with pearl-set rosette in the middle with rose-cut diamond in the center, lower edge set with half pearls, upper edge decorated with wreath of laurel leaves made of graduated half pearls and black enamel, the back of the grip decorated with gold and black enamel fine crossing pattern with scrolling set with graduated half pearls. The top edge set with half pearls, gold matted and engraved hammers, the head of the flint vise engraved with lion’s heads, gold vise nuts terminated with diamonds, agate flints, gold pan covers mirror polished inside and engraved with acanthus leaves on the outside with their springs terminating wi
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2006-05-14
