The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 144

The MandolinPiguet et Capt, No. 191, circa 1810.Very fine and extremely rare 18 ct. gold and enamel, pearl-set mandolin form watch with concealed dial, music and automata.

C. Two-body, spring-loaded, the back with alternating sections of translucent red enamel over a flinqué ground and black enamel sectors with gold floral and foliate decoration, soundboard with matching translucent red enamel, also over a flinque ground with a central rosette and with half pearl-set border. The watch is mounted inside the back, the automaton with chased varicoloured gold figures set against a painted enamel wooded landscape inside the soundboard. It shows a lady harpist playing,gentleman dancing a jig, and a little bird fluttering its wings in time to the music. D. White enamel, Roman chapters, outer Arabic minutes. Gold 'spearhead' hands. M. 20 mm o, hinged, gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, verge escapement, plain three-arm brass balance, continental cock, rack and pinion regulator with a silver plate.The automaton and musical movement driven by the pinned barrel playing on five tuned teeth, six-wheel train, the last pinion in eccentric adjustable bushing to regulate the tempo of the music, the movement of the player's hand controlled by a cam mounted on the second wheel pinion, the movement of the dancer by pins set on the bottom of the barrel.Music movement scratched: Piguet et Capt à Genève, stamped 191.Dim. 70 x 32 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 440-441.