Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Hong Kong, Apr 23, 2006

LOT 87

?Oiseau Chanteur? Frères Rochat, Geneva, No. 457, made for the Chinese market, circa 1820. Very fine and rare, 18K varicolored gold and enamel singing bird box. Accompanied by a fitted Morocco leather box.

HKD 300,000 - 500,000

USD 40,000 - 65,000 / EUR 32,000 - 55,000

Sold: HKD 413,000

C. Three-body, by ?C.I?, rectangular with rounded corners, the top with applied varicolored floral and foliate patterns, the spring-loaded bird cover finely painted on enamel with bouquet of flowers, engine-turned side panels with edges of applied green gold laurel leaf pattern, back panel hinged to reveal key compartment, slide in the front to activate the rising of the bird, which rotates, turns its head, opens its beak, flaps its wings and moves its tail. The bird is facing the inside of the mirror-polished, concave medallion, which enlarges the bird in its reflection, gold engraved grill. Singing bird movement. 74 x 41 mm, rectangular brass, fusee and chain, eight cams and a whistle with sliding piston for the song's modulation, cams rotating four times per song and lifting one step every rotation, allowing a long duration of singing, typical Rochat lifting mechanism by additional cam gathering four pins on the lifting cam wheel. Complicated rising of the bird?s medallion and the bird with five-wheel train finished by a pinion in eccentric socket to regulate the speed of the opening and closing. This complicated mechanism allows for precision control of the raising of the bird and medallion, and its speed. Stamped "FR" in an oval on the back of the bird mechanism, along with the number, the box punched with maker?s mark and Geneva quality mark. Dim. 78 x 52 mm. To be sold without reserve


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3-57

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Notes

The present box is an excellent testimony to the exceptional work of the brothers Rochat. It is interesting to note that the box with the preceding serial number, 456, was sold by Antiquorum on April 13, 2003, lot 471. This box is illustrated on page 241 of ?Flights of Fancy? by Sharon and Christian Bailly, Antiquorum Editions, 2001. Frères Rochat FR (Frères Rochat) These three brothers from Le Brassus in the Vallée de Joux were the sons of David Rochat (1746-1812), who had been received master in 1766 and who made a specialty of singing birds. They were: François Elisée Rochat, (1771-1836). Frédéric Rochat, (1774-1848). Samuel Henri Rochat, (1777-1854). David Rochat formed an association with these three sons around 1800. At the end of the 18th and in the early years of the 19th century David Rochat and sons had furnished bird ebauches to Jaquet Droz, and continued to do so when Jean-Frédéric Leschot took over the Jaquet Droz firm following Henry-Louis Jaquet Droz? death in 1792. In this they essentially followed the specifications given them by Jacob Frisard, the singing bird specialist of Jaquet Droz and Leschot. When Frisard, seeking to develop his own business, became less available after 1800, Leschot sought to replace him with the Rochats, but this collaboration was short-lived. After the death of their father in 1812, the three Rochat brothers moved to Geneva and went into business on their own account. They worked there, in the Terreaux de Chantepoulet, until about 1820, at which point Frederic and Samuel moved to the rue de Coutance 76, where they were later aided in their singing bird manufacture by Frederic?s sons Antoine-Frédéric Auguste (b. 1799) and Charles-Louis François (b. 1795) François, who continued in the Terreaux de Chantepoulet, was soon aided in his manufacture of singing bird pieces by his son Ami-Napoleon François (1807-1875, known as Ami).