Geneva, May 15, 2023
LOT 332
THE KITCHEN
CHF 15,000 - 35,000
EUR 15,300 - 35,600 / USD 16,900 - 39,400 / HKD 134,000 - 310,000
Sold: CHF 22,500
Extremely fine and very rare, large, 18K gold and painted on enamel watch with an automaton scene with five actions.
Magnificent varicolored gold automaton scene applied over a finely painted ground depicting a kitchen: a lady using a pestle and mortar sitting by a fire over which meat is being roasted, a boy peers through a window above her, to the right, a dog running in a rotating cage turns the spit, below a dog plays with a cat by a basket of vegetables.
"Directoire" case, polished with glazed back.
The automaton movement attributed to Pierre Simon Gounouilhou, Geneva.
Magnificent varicolored gold automaton scene applied over a finely painted ground depicting a kitchen: a lady using a pestle and mortar sitting by a fire over which meat is being roasted, a boy peers through a window above her, to the right, a dog running in a rotating cage turns the spit, below a dog plays with a cat by a basket of vegetables.
"Directoire" case, polished with glazed back.
The automaton movement attributed to Pierre Simon Gounouilhou, Geneva.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: |
|
Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3-6-01 |
Good Slightly oxidized HANDS Original |
Brand Breguet, Switzerland
Model The Kitchen
Year Circa 1810
Material 18K yellow gold
Caliber 22''', gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance with flat balance spring. Independent movement with going barrel, driving the automata by means of cams and levers.
Diameter 59 mm.
Signature Dial
Notes
PIERRE SIMON GOUNOUILHOU (1779-1847) was born in 1779, settled in Geneva (Quai Neuf en l'Isle, No. 241) in 1799. An imaginative maker of great repute, he produced automata and musical objects and watches, ring watches with virgule escapement and quarter-repeating, watches with cases using unusual decorative techniques such as granulation. He left very interesting shop notes with an abundance of information about the habits and customs of early 19th century Geneva watchmakers. "THE KITCHEN" This form of automaton watch appears to have been produced only by GOUNOUILHOU AND DUBOIS & FILS. Those made by Gounouilhou employ fusee and chain, rarely found in Swiss watches, whereas Dubois used a going barrel, and his kitchen was run from the repeating mechanism. Fewer than a dozen "Kitchen" automata are known. The automaton mechanism controls: 1. The lady's hand. 2. The spit's rotation. 3. The fire's flames. 4. The dog's running. 5. The wheel turning.