L\'ART DE L\'HORLOGERIE EN FRANCE DE ...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 14, 1993

LOT 103

Lépine, Horloger du Roy, Invenit et Fecit, No. 1342, specially made for the wedding of the Comte de Provence in 1771, sold for 2600 Livres. Highly important 18 ct. three colour gold paircased diamond-set, dumb quarter- repeating, keyless pump-winding watch, with double virgule escapement, bearing the Paris hallmarks for 1770.

CHF 75,000 - 85,000

Sold: CHF 143,750

C. Glazed double body outer, the bezel with chased decoration. Inner double body, Louis XVI, with diamond-set chased bezels and bow, concealed hinge, opening by twisting the pendant which is set with a large rose-diamond. The back finely chased in three coloured gold with a scene depicting "1"Offrande de l'Amour à l'Amitié". D. White enamel with Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring. Louis XVI diamond-set hands. M. Hinged gilt brass full plate cylindrical pillars, so-called "calibre de transition du deuxième type", used by Lepine for most of his watches with special escapements. going-barrel, double virgule escapement, visible through an aperture on the back plate, with plain brass threearm-balance, flat balance spring and polished steel end-piece. Repeating on the case by depressing the pendant. Keyless pump-winding by depressing the pendant after twisting to the right. Signed on the dial and the movement. In perfect condition. Diam. 47 mm.


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Notes

This watch was specially made for the wedding of the Comte de Provence, brother of Louis XVI, and subsequently King of France as Louis XVIII (1814- 1815 and 1815-1824) - Archives Nationales, Document 0 3031- Mariage du Comte de Provence: Par ordre de Monsieur de la Ferté, Intendant général des menus plaisirs Du Roy. Fournit par Lépine, Horloger du Roi, une montre d'or à répétition, se remontant sans clef, gravée d'une figure représentant l'Offrande de l'Amour à l'Amitié, dans un médaillon orné de guirlandes de larier, entouré d'un cercle de diamant, une autre cercle autour du cadran, aiguilles, bélière et poussoir de diamant, de plus un étui d'or à double lunette avec une belle gravure, sous le No. 1342................................... Du prix de 2600 Livres. Besicles being fitted with one of the rarest French escapements (the escapement à double virgule is reputed to be the invention of André Charles Caron, Lepine's father-in-law) and one of the earliest examples of the Lepine case with concealed hinge, this watch also incorporates the most unusual of Lepine's inventions, the keyless pump-winding system. This watch is described by A. Chapiro in his books: Lépine , Horloger (1720-1814) and La montre française (Editions de l'amateur) and detailed in his article: 'L'échappement à double virgule' Bulletin de l'Association Nationale des Collectionneurs et Amateurs d'Horlogerie Ancienne, No. 67, pp. 23-24, fig. 15 and 16.