Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 95

?Scentimental? Duel Attributed to Moulinié, Bautte & Cie, Geneva, circa 1806, made for the Chinese market. Exceptional and extremely rare pair of 18K gold and enamel, pearl-set, combined watch and perfume sprinkler, in the form of flintlock pistols, with original matching gold and enamel pistol-shaped winding keys. Accompanied by a Chinese fitted box. To be sold without reserve.

CHF 400,000 - 600,000

EUR 260,000 - 400,000 / USD 320,000 - 500,000

Sold: CHF 429,750

C. The grips of translucent scarlet enamel over guilloché grounds decorated with small gold rosettes on black champlevé enamel with gold flowers, the borders set with half pearls. Gold plates, finely chased with a dog on one side and a stag on the other, framed with half pearls. The barrels of cobalt blue translucent champlevé enamel over guilloché grounds, with a raised gold scroll design simulating damascene work. The perfume is released through the pistils of gold lotus flowers with enamelled petals, which are shot out of the barrel. The act of cocking the hammer winds the mechanism, also lowering the trigger. The watch is concealed in the end of the butt, the springloaded front and back covers with half pearl-set borders, decorated with guilloché rosettes and centered with half pearls. D. White enamel with Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions. Gold "spearhead" hands. M. 15 mm. ø, gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain three-arm brass balance, continental cock pierced and engraved. In a Chinese fitted box with original keys decorated with matching scarlet enamel over flinqué engraving and white enamel borders. Length 111 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3-50

Good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Although not signed, the pistols are almost identical to examples which are (F.X. Sturm and O. Patrizzi in "Watches of Fantasy", plate No. 26, and the matching one sold by Antiquorum, Milano, 28 November 1994), enabling us to attribute this one to the same makers. Moulinié, Bautte & Cie. (1772-1837) Jean-François Bautte, born in 1772, became apprenticed at the age of 12, learning the crafts of case-maker, engine-turner, watchmaker, jeweler, and gem-setter. He was barely nineteen years old when he signed his first watch. In 1797, Bautte took as partner the case-maker Moulinié; in 1804 they were joined by watchmaker Jean Gabriel Moynier, the name of the company becoming first Moulinié, Bautte & Cie., then Moulinié, Bautte & Moynier. In the early 19th century, Bautte was Geneva?s most important dealer. The present lot was previously sold by Antiquorum Geneva on June 8, 2002, lot 418.