Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 10, 2025

LOT 487

FRÈRES ROCHAT, SWITZERLAND, MINIATURE SINGING BIRD BOX, MOVEMENT SIGNED ''FR'' FOR FRÈRES ROCHAT, THE MONT- BLANC VIEW FROM LAC LEMAN PAINTED ENAMEL COVER, GOLD AND ENAMEL

CHF 30,000 - 90,000

HKD 286,000 - 860,000 / USD 36,700 - 112,000 / EUR 32,200 - 97,000

Sold: CHF 57,500

An extremely fine, rare and small, 18k gold and enamel, manual wind rectangular case with rounded corners, all the panels entirely decorated with black and white enamel, the outer cover is finely painted on enamel oval lid depicting a view of the Mont Blanc from Lac Leman (Geneva) and the inside cover is painted an enamel flowers bouquet


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2-25

Very good

Chipped
Movement: 3

Good

Brand Frères Rochat, Switzerland

Model miniature singing bird box

Year Circa 1825

Movement No. 518

Length 73

Caliber Small rectangular brass (70 X 40 mm.), fusee and chain, eight cams and a whistle with sliding piston for the song's modulation. The cams rotate four times per song and lift one step every rotation, allowing a long duration of singing, the multicoloured feathered bird with moving wings and turning head rotating on its axis. Cam-controlled raising of the bird medallion and the bird, with five-wheel train finished by a pinion in eccentric bushing to regulate the speed of the opening and closing. The complicated mechanism allows for precision control of the raising of the bird and medallion, and its speed.

Height 25

Width 58

Signature Singing bird movement signed ''FR'' for Frères Rochat

Accessories Original box

Biography

“F R” (Frères Rochat)

The Rochat brothers are the sons of David Rochat (1746-1812), who was received as a master watchmaker in 1766; they are: François-Elisée (1771-1836), Frédéric (1774-1848) and Samuel-Henri (1777-1854).

David Rochat and his sons worked for the Jaquet-Droz and Leschot, supplying them with ébauches (blanks mechanisms) for singing-bird mechanisms in the late 18th century.

Around 1813, the three Rochat brothers moved to Geneva and set up on their own, soon splitting into two groups. François remained alone (later helped by his son, Ami-Napoléon, 1807-1875), and Frédéric and Samuel worked together (with Frédéric’s sons, Louis-Charles, and Antoine).

It is generally thought that “F R” represents these Rochat brothers, although it is possible that the “F R” signature represents a single name: François Rochat or Frédéric Rochat.

There were other Rochats working in Geneva at this time! Among them, Louis Rochat (1781-1858), originally from the Abbaye in the Vallée de Joux. He is considered to be the maker of a piece with a clock, two singing-birds and a magician (now in the Beijing Museum) which won a prize at the “Réunion des Industriels” de Genève in 1829.

In 1814, Louis and his brother François (1792-1838) formed an association with Pierre-Daniel Campiche called “Frères Rochat et Compagnie”.

To complicate matters, there are many family and professional links between the various Rochats. For example, Louis Rochat of the Abbaye worked with Antoine (son of Frédéric) for a time, around 1850.

It is clear, however, that the Rochat family produced many of the finest and most complex singin-bird objects available.