A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE - photo 1
A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE - photo 2
A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE - photo 3
A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE - photo 4
A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE - photo 5
A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE - photo 6
A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE - photo 7
A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE - photo 8

A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE

Lot 17
27.01.2023 12:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
$ 400 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
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Archive
ID 887745
Lot 17 | A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE
Estimate value
$ 400 000 – 600 000
A RARE SWISS VARI-COLOR GOLD, ENAMEL, AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE LONGUE-VUE

MARK OF SENÉ & NEISER, (FL. 1805-1808), GENEVA, CIRCA 1805; THE TIMEPIECE SIGNED PUY’ ROCHE, THE AUTOMATON ATTRIBUTED TO PIGUET & CAPT, GENEVA, CIRCA 1805

The cylindrical body formed of four rectangular panels enameled in translucent and opaque royal blue, red, green, white and pale blue on engine-turned ground, depicting trophies of love with a couple of doves perched on a column flanked by leafy branches and urns draped with floral boughs, the panels interspersed with vertical gold bands chased with beaded laurel leaves, and between borders of running foliage and half-pearls, the shoulders with leafy fronds linked by cornflower blue scrolls, the extending scope with stylized leaftips, the side panels rotate to expose the concealed timepiece above an enameled panel depicting a coat-of-arms against a military trophy, the panels open to reveal an automaton scene depicting in the foreground a fixed vari-color gold lighthouse, pine tree, barrel and anchor, against an enameled seascape with revolving glass waterfall, similarly on rotating glass waves sail junk boats, single and three-masted sailing ships, canoe rowers, and swimming swans, the movement enclosed entirely within the circumference of the scope, extending scope with maker’s mark pellet S pellet N pellet in a lozenge, scope and shoulder rim lightly notch-numbered 3, timepiece bezel signed PUY' ROCHE, with associated key

3 1/8 in. (77 mm.) long, closed





Literature

Chapuis, Alfred, and Droz, Edmond, Les Automates, Neufchatel, 1949, figs. 220, 221.

Chapuis, Alfred., Histoire de la Boîte à Musique, Lausanne, 1955, p. 170 opp.

Antique Automatons, A La Vieille Russie, New York, 1950, no. 144.



Exhibited

New York, Antique Automatons, A La Vieille Russie, 1950, no. 144.

New York, Mechanical Wonders: The Sandoz Collection, A La Vieille Russie, 26 October-26 November 2011, no. 42.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
21.01.2023 – 26.01.2023
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
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