Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 08, 2015

LOT 193

COURTENER "LA FORGE DE CUPIDON" AUTOMATON WATCH YELLOW GOLD Courtener à Strasbourg, Swiss. Made circa 1810. Very fine and rare, quarter-repeating, 18K gold and painted on enamel automaton pocket watch with jacks and separately activated automaton scene with five actions.

CHF 5,000 - 7,000

HKD 40,000 - 56,000 / USD 5,200 - 7,200

Sold: CHF 37,500

Three-body, "Empire", engine-turned, flat band, rope-twist pendant. Small eccentric, white enamel with Breguet numerals, flanked by fine varicolored gold jacks of Ceres standing on a pillar and a putto holding a flaming torch appearing to strike bells when the repeating is activated. Blued steel Breguet hands. The painted on enamel dial plate painted with a country landscape and applied with a fine varicolored gold automaton scene depicting three cherubs busily working at a forge: one is forging arrows for Venus while another sharpens the arrow and the third tends to the fire, activated by a slide concealed beneath the bezel. 41 mm. gilt brass, full plate, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance-spring with regulator on a silvered plate, continental cock, repeating on gongs activated by depressing the pendant. The automaton train with two speed regulators on the backplate. Movement signed.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-75-01

Good

ENAMEL AND VARIOUS TYPES OF DECORATION Slightly restored soft enamel

HANDS Original

Notes

DIAM. 53 mm. This watch is very unusual in having a separate automaton scene activated independently by a slide concealed under the bezel. The striking jacks are activated by the repeating mechanism in the usual way. A watch with similar scene but without jacks was sold by ANTIQUORUM, Geneva, October 13, 2001, lot 597.