Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 18, 1997

LOT 656

John Keneble, Frith Street, Soho, London, No. 1455, Swiss, attributable to the workshop of Jaquet-Droz, made for the Chinese Market, circa 1790. "The Evening" Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, oval pearl set centre second watch.

CHF 50,000 - 60,000

Sold: CHF 62,100

C. Three body oval with split-pearl set bezels, band, pendant and bow, the inside scalloped edge with bright red and green flinque enamelled champleve floral decoration, the back enamel panel with a fine painted scene after the engraving of a painting by William Hamilton, R.A., depicting "The Evening". Hinged gold engine-turned cuvette. D. White enamel oval with Roman numerals and outer second and minute ring, enhance by a finely painted decoration of rose grlands. Gold "spade" hands. M. Oval gilt brass, bar calibre with engraved balance cock, the going barrel bridge engraved on the border, later Swiss lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, diamond end-stone, blued steel balance spring with terminal curve. Signed on the back plate. Dim. 96 x 60 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 18

Spotted
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 21-51

Period

Partially reprinted

Notes

This watch is of such high quality that it was improved with a precision escapement (luring the third part of the 19th century. John Keneble is not recorded as a maker; he was certainly a dealer, trading with the China. The decoration of the watch and the layout of the movement enable to attr ibute it to the workshop of Jaquet-Droz. The enamel painting on the hack panel is after the engraving of a painting by William Hamilton R.A. Although undoubtedly made in Geneva, the craftsmanship of the enamel painting is quite different from that of most other enamel painters of the time, such as Richter or Lissignol, but can be compared with several other paintings found on pieces produced in the workshop of Jaquet-Droz. William Hamilton, R.A. (1751-1801) English history and portrait painter, who became an associate of the Royal Academy in 1784 and a member in 1789. Hamilton t ravelled to Italy with Antonio Zucchi and lived there for several years. He painted many portraits of opera singers and diet illustrations for various works, among which Boydell's Shakespeare, Bowsyers' History of England, and Macklin ' s Bible. A number of his works are housed in museums. In London, many of his watercolours are in the South Kensington Museum, his portr ait of John Wesley is in the National Portrait Gallery while several of his Shakespeare illustrations are in The Victoria and Albert Museum.