25,300 CHF
“The Continence of Scipio” A. Friolet au Locle. The enamel attributable to George Michael Moser. Made circa 1770. Very fine, extremely rare and important, quarter-repeating, 18K gold and painted on enamel pair-cased pocket watch. Outer: two-body, the bezel and border decorated with cast and chased floral garlands in high relief and chased scrollwork, the back set with a finely painted on enamel panel depicting “The Continence of Scipio”. Inner: two-body, pierced, chased and engraved decoration. Gilt metal dust cover. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track and Arabic five minute numerals. Pierced gold hands. 31 mm., hinged, frosted gilt with tapered cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, three-arm brass balance with jeweled top-pivot, flat blued steel balance spring, chased scrollwork balance cock with single foot in the English manner, silver regulation dial, repeating with two hammers on a bell mounted in the back of the case. Movement signed. Diam. 49 mm. Notes The present watch is extremely enigmatic, as it is signed by a Swiss maker and the decorative finish of the movement is Swiss in style. However, the watch shows a very strong English influence in its construction. The balance cock, dust cover and the engraving of the inner case are of classic English design and significantly, the bell is scratch-signed “Drury” ,who was a bellmaker working in Soho and whose bells were used by most of the eminent English watchmakers of the se
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2005-11-13
