The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 107

The HarvestUnsigned, Geneva, No. 6686, circa 1790.Very fine and rare 18 ct. gold and enamel two-train automaton watch.

C. Two-body, 'Directoire', glazed on both sides, bezels in green champlevé enamel with gold floral decoration. On the back, an oval painted on enamel medallion shows two children holding a dove, flanked by two enamel panels with imperial blue leaves over engine-turning against a black ground. In the aperture, three gold automaton figures pass across a painted ivory background depicting a garden with two animated fountains. The three automata represent harvest-gatherers, one a woman holding fruitwith an animated arm, another two children on a see-saw, the third a donkey carrying the fruits of the harvest and nodding its head. D. White enamel, Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions with 15-minute Arabic numerals. Blued-steel hands. M. 44.4 mm o, hinged, gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain three-arm balance with flat balance spring, plain double-footed plain cock.The automaton is driven from a going barrel and is animated by a cam mounted on the centre arbor.Pendant stamped 'PC' under a coronet.Diam. 52 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 180-181.