Only Online Auction
Hong Kong, Oct 14, 2021
LOT 178
Levy Hermanos
Pocket watch made for the Chinese market; silver
HKD 3,400 - 5,100
CHF 400 - 600 / EUR 400 - 600 / USD 450 - 650
Sold: HKD 4,250
Silver, open-face, key-winding, round-shaped, pocket watch, made for the Chinese market, with centre-seconds.
Case-back polished.
White enamel dial, with radial Roman numerals; blued steel “Pear” hands.
Movement 2’’’, gilded brass, engraved Chinese-style, going barrel, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance (polished steel) with poising screws and blued steel flat hairspring, polished steel index-regulator.
Case-back polished.
White enamel dial, with radial Roman numerals; blued steel “Pear” hands.
Movement 2’’’, gilded brass, engraved Chinese-style, going barrel, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance (polished steel) with poising screws and blued steel flat hairspring, polished steel index-regulator.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: A |
Good |
Case: 3-6-8-19 |
Good Slightly oxidized Slightly scratched Dent(s) |
Movement: 3-7-17** |
Good Oxidized Slightly spotted Repair required, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3-01 |
Good HANDS Original |
Brand Levy Hermanos , Hong Kong
Model made probably in Fleurier (Val-de-Travers)
Year circa 1890-1910
Movement No. unnumbered
Case No. 7 / 131 (with prestige hallmarks imitating the London letter-date “J”, for 1844)
Material silver
Diameter 54.5 mm.
Caliber 20’’’, engraved Chinese-style, lateral lever escapement
Weight 95.1 gr. (approx.)
Signature case
Notes
Prestige hallmarks
British hallmarks were sometimes faked or imitated, especially in the 18th and early 19th centuries when English watchmaking enjoyed a reputation as the finest there was. Marks looking like British hallmarks were out into watchcases to lead people to think that a watch was of English make. Sometimes pseudo ‘‘hallmarks’’, marks that were meant to look somewhat like hallmarks without trying to be out-and-out fake hallmarks, were stamped in order to make a case look more impressive.
--
Levy Hermanos, Hong Kong
The Philippines watchmaker company “Levy Hermanos” (Levy Brothers) was founded by Adolphe (or Adolf or Adolfo; 1849-1888), Charles (1854-1899) and Raphaël (or Rafael; 1858-1928). They are the sons of Nathan “Moïse” Lévy (1813-1892), merchant, and Louise Blum (1819-1895).
During the Franco-German War of 1870 the brothers fled from their native village of Marckolsheim in Alsace (Bas-Rhin) to Iloilo, Western Visayas, in the Philippines, via San Francisco in California. They were among the first Jewish families in the Philippines when they arrived in 1873.
Adolphe Lévy died in Manilla on June 13, 1888, of cholera.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the company was active in Manilla, Singapore, Paris, and have a Hong Kong branch at 10 Queen’s Road, Central. Over the years the company opened branches in Shanghai, Tientsin, Port Arthur, Kharbin and Bombay.
Armand Levy was the manager of the Hong Kong branch, and E. Levy, J. Weill and Albert Weill were watchmakers. Armand Levy resided at 61 Wyndham Street and Albert Weill at Stillingflete, 4 Peak Road.
They markets fine quality watches from various houses in the Neuchâtel mountains:
British hallmarks were sometimes faked or imitated, especially in the 18th and early 19th centuries when English watchmaking enjoyed a reputation as the finest there was. Marks looking like British hallmarks were out into watchcases to lead people to think that a watch was of English make. Sometimes pseudo ‘‘hallmarks’’, marks that were meant to look somewhat like hallmarks without trying to be out-and-out fake hallmarks, were stamped in order to make a case look more impressive.
--
Levy Hermanos, Hong Kong
The Philippines watchmaker company “Levy Hermanos” (Levy Brothers) was founded by Adolphe (or Adolf or Adolfo; 1849-1888), Charles (1854-1899) and Raphaël (or Rafael; 1858-1928). They are the sons of Nathan “Moïse” Lévy (1813-1892), merchant, and Louise Blum (1819-1895).
During the Franco-German War of 1870 the brothers fled from their native village of Marckolsheim in Alsace (Bas-Rhin) to Iloilo, Western Visayas, in the Philippines, via San Francisco in California. They were among the first Jewish families in the Philippines when they arrived in 1873.
Adolphe Lévy died in Manilla on June 13, 1888, of cholera.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the company was active in Manilla, Singapore, Paris, and have a Hong Kong branch at 10 Queen’s Road, Central. Over the years the company opened branches in Shanghai, Tientsin, Port Arthur, Kharbin and Bombay.
Armand Levy was the manager of the Hong Kong branch, and E. Levy, J. Weill and Albert Weill were watchmakers. Armand Levy resided at 61 Wyndham Street and Albert Weill at Stillingflete, 4 Peak Road.
They markets fine quality watches from various houses in the Neuchâtel mountains:
· Maurice Ditisheim, La Chaux-de-Fonds (serial numbers around 10 600), some with enamels attributable to Louis Rosselet (see: Chapuis, Alfred, La Montre Chinoise, 1919, p. 249).
· Charles Barbezat-Baillot, Le Locle (serial numbers around 83 600).
They are also the official sole agents for Patek, Philippe & Co., Geneva, the Roskopf watches, and later for Omega, Bienne / Biel. If they traded in watches and instruments (barometers, thermometers, etc.) they also sale bicycles and automobiles.
They are also the official sole agents for Patek, Philippe & Co., Geneva, the Roskopf watches, and later for Omega, Bienne / Biel. If they traded in watches and instruments (barometers, thermometers, etc.) they also sale bicycles and automobiles.
CONDITIONS AND INFORMATION FOR BUYERS
The purchase price payable by a buyer will be the sum of the final bid price plus the buyer’s premium, together with any applicable sales or compensating use tax. In addition to the hammer price, the buyer’s premium is payable as follows: 25% of the hammer price on each lot.Important notice – Special conditions Please look carefully at all the photos as they are an integral part of the description. Any defect not mentioned in the descriptions but visible on the photos will be considered as described and cannot lead to any claim. The dimensions are given as an indication and may slightly differ from the measures mentioned by the manufacturers especially for contemporary watches. The photos are not retouched. Colors may differ from reality. For timepieces, we guarantee neither the functioning nor the precision of the movement, nor the water-resistance of the case. In addition, please note that movements, parts of mechanisms or cases may be incomplete. The lots are sold “as is”, described to the best of our knowledge and cannot be returned. Once the online bid is placed by the bidder, it cannot be cancelled.