Geneva, Nov 10, 2024

LOT 526

FRÈRES ROCHAT, SWITZERLAND / GENEVA, ''OISEAU CHANTEUR, ALLEGORY OF GEOGRAPHY'', SINGING BIRD AND MUSICAL MOVEMENTS SIGNED ''FR'' FOR FRÈRES ROCHAT, CASE SIGNED ''GRC'' FOR JEAN-GEORGE RÉMOND, ENAMEL ATTRIBUTED TO JEAN-ABRAHAM LISSIGNOL, 18K YELLOW GOLD AND ENAMEL

CHF 150,000 - 250,000

HKD 1,350,000 - 2,250,000 / USD 174,000 - 290,000 / EUR 160,000 - 266,000

Sold: CHF 156,250

A magnificent and extremely rare, 18k gold, enamel, pearl-set singing bird box with independent musical movement, manual wind rectangular case with rounded corners, all the panels entirely decorated with translucent Imperial blue enamel over engine-turning, borders with white and black champlevé enamel geometrical decoration, the outer lid opens on an engine-turned panel with the keyhole for the bird movement, on the side contains the key compartment, the other has the keyhole and button for the musical movement. The top panel with oval medallion concealing the bird very finely painted on enamel scene with a lady teaching the geography to two children within half-pearl-set frame. When the bird cover is opened, the bird rises and begins to move and the song starts, being activated by a slide on the front of the case. The articulated bird sings, rotates, turns its head, opens its beak, flaps its wings and moves its tail.


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Grading System
Grade:
Movement: 3

Good

Brand Frères Rochat, Switzerland / Geneva

Model ''Oiseau Chanteur, Allegory of geography''

Year Circa 1813

Length 960

Caliber Small rectangular brass (77 X 55 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, beak, and turning head rotating on its axis. It is facing the inside of the medallion which is mirror polished and concave, enlarging the bird in its reflection, gold engraved grill. 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.Musical movement (38 X 19 mm.): Pin barrel playing with two stacks of 24 tuned teeth total, with grasshopper-shaped vibrating tuned blades, activated by a button on the side of the case.

Height 250

Width 600

Signature Case signed ''GRC'' for George Rémond, Singing bird movement signed ''FR'' for Frères Rochat, Enamel attributed to Jean Abraham Lissignol

Notes

The top panel with oval medallion ''Allegory of geography '' from an engraving by John Simon (1675-1751).
The spring of the bird movement is signed by J.H. Marchand for Jean-Henri Marchand of Geneva.
The spring of the music is signed Carrissol 13/11 for Jean Carrisol of Geneva, November 1813.
Restoration marks: Russia 1818, Gebhard of Vienna 1928 and René Droz of Colombier.

Provenance

British rail pension fund (Sotheby's auction in Geneva, highly important snuff boxes, 15 May 1990, lot 59)

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, 1795-?, and Antoine, 1799-?).

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.

For a fuller understanding of their histories, genealogies and works, please refer to the book and article below (which will be offered to the buyer of the item presented here).

Bibliography
· Bailly, Christian, & Bailly-Kerman, Sharon, Oiseaux de Bonheur, Tabatières et Automates – Flights of Fancy, Mechanical Singing Birds, Genève, Antiquorum Editions, 2001, pp. 210-260.


''GRC'' (Jean-Georges Rémond)

Jean-Georges Rémond (c.1746-c.1820) was active from 1783 to circa 1815-1820. Became Master goldsmith on December 22, 1783 and struck his first Master mark. Seven years later he appears to have formed a company: Georges Rémond & Cie, which eventually became, circa 1800, Rémond, Mercier, Lamy & Cie. During the French occupation of Switzerland by Napoléon, Jean-Georges Rémond recorded marks. In 1792, the partners Joseph Guidon, Jean-Georges Rémond, David Gide, Laurent Guisseling and Jean-Noël Lamy informally began working as Guidon, Rémond, Gide & Cie, (the company was officially registered on January 1, 1796). In 1809, the firm took on the name of Jean-Georges Rémond & Cie, and had offices both in Geneva and Hanau. The partners were Jean-Georges Rém- ond, Jean-Noël Lamy, Jean Boëhm (domiciled in Hanau), Denis Blondet, Laurent Guiseling, and Daniel Berton. In 1811, Jean-Georges Rémond, Jean-Noeël Lamy, Laurent Guiseling, Pierre Mercier and Daniel Berton formed a company known as Rémond, Lamy, Mercier & Cie.


Jean Abraham Lissignol

Born in Geneva on May 1749, died in Plainpalais on June 28, 1819. One of the best enamel painters of the later part of the eighteenth century, he was the pupil of Jean-Marc Roux and later became his partner. He specialized in decorating enameled snuffboxes and watch cases, working for Jaquet- Droz, Leschot, the Rochat brothers, and John Rich.