Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 17, 1993

LOT 355

Perrin freres, Swiss, circa 1820. Extremely rare and fine 18ct. gold and enamel Tightrope Walker automaton watch with musical and quarter-repeating trains.

CHF 200,000 - 250,000

C. Three-body, 'pomme et filets', with engine-turned band and back and reeded bezels.Hinged gilt-metal cuvette. D. Small engine-turned gold dial with white enamel chapter plaques, Arabic numerals and outer minute-ring. Blued-steel Breguet hands. Dial plate of gold finely enamelled with a mountain landscape, a church in the middle ground, with vari-coloured gilt figures of musicians flanking the dial, the gentleman playing a lyre, the lady a lute, their arms moving in time with the music, and suspended between the trees is a thin gold 'rope' upon which the Tightrope walker balances holding a pole in his arms; as the music plays, he bounces on the rope, moving the other leg and the pole to maintain his equilibrium. M. Frosted and gilt hait plate, duplex escapement with plain three-arm brass balance and flat balance spring with jewelled coqueret. Cylinder musical train playing on the hour or at will, with 29 tooth comb grouped in pairs, and covered by an engraved and gilt plate. Quarter-repeating on two gongs by depressing the pendant. Music set-off and pendant lock in the case band. Signed on the cuvette. In excellent condition. Diam. 62mm.


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Notes

Alongside the 'Moses' watch, the Tightrope walker may be considered as the rarest of automaton watches made in the area of Neuchatel. To date rio more than 5 examples are known to have survived, including the watch now offered for sale, with two at least of these being in museum collections. All are slightly different in detail, most notably the enamel subjects, and this example is the equal of any for quality of workmanship throughout. Literature: Chapuis et Gelis, Le Monde des Automates, Paris, 1928, Vol. Il, p. 53, fig. 325. Chapuis et Droz, Les Automates, Neuchatel, 1949, p. 184, figs. 197-199. (Sandoz Collection, also illustrated in the Chateau des Monts Catalogue). Provenance: According to family tradition, this watch belonged to Catherine, Czarina of Russia, being brought out of the country at the time of the Revolution.