A GEORGE III GOLD AND AGATE MOUNTED AUTOMATON WATCH; WITH AN...

Lot 53
29.07.2020 18:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 443 250
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 377742
Lot 53 | A GEORGE III GOLD AND AGATE MOUNTED AUTOMATON WATCH; WITH AN...
Estimate value
£ 400 000 – 600 000
A GEORGE III GOLD AND AGATE MOUNTED AUTOMATON WATCH; WITH AN ORMOLU AND AGATE MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON CABINET

FROM THE WORKSHOP OF JAMES COX, LONDON, CIRCA 1770, THE WATCH SIGNED AND NUMBERED '1391', THE CABINET'S MUSICAL MOVEMENT NUMBERED '11’, ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE A WATCH

The watch; CASE: the 20k gold, agate, ruby and paste-set pair case with seed pearl frames, makers mark 'PM' for Peter Mounier; DIAL: the white enamel dial with Roman hours and Arabic outer five minute markers, blued steel hands, with eight automaton stars to the border which rotate when activated; MOVEMENT: with verge escapement and chain fusee, standing barrel for the automata, pierced and chased backcock with diamond endstone, the backplate signed 'Jam.s. Cox London 1391'

The automaton cabinet: CASE: with later asymmetrical naturalistically cast watch support raised above two adorsed standing figures, the upper section of the two-tiered graduated cabinet with automaton to front panel comprising eight rotating stylised flowerheads about an opposing larger flowerhead, dragons to the angles raised on ball feet, the lower cabinet with conforming outset scrolls and masks to the angles and raised on elephant feet, with tune selection, covered winding aperture and trip button to front, elements variously numbered 'N. 11'; MUSICAL MOVEMENT: playing six tunes from the pin barrel via eight hammers striking on eight bells, the chain fusee movement numbered 'N.11' to pin barrel bridge and further to hammer assembly

The watch: 2 in. (5.1 cm.) diameter;

The cabinet: 16 ¼ in. (41.3 cm.) high; 8 1/8 in. (21 cm.) wide; 7 ½ in. (19 cm.) deep

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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27.07.2020 – 29.07.2020
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