The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 197

Vertumnus and PomonaFrères Rochat, box maker: G.R. in a lozenge, Georges Reymond, Geneva, circa 1815.Magnificent and rare, 18 ct. gold and enamel, pearl-set, musical singing bird box, with centre-seconds, and quarter repeating watch, made for the Chinese market. In original fitted box.

C. Four-body, rectangular with rounded corners, all the panels entirely decorated with translucent Imperial blue enamel over engine-turning, borders with white and black champlevé enamel geometrical decoration. The top panel with the oval medallion are within a half pearl-set frame. The oval painted scene on the bird cover is after an engraving by Cornelis Vermeulen (1644-1708/09) after Antoine Coypel (1661-1722), and is of the Roman god and goddess Vertumnus and Pomona, protectors of gardens, ochards and ripening fruit. Vertumnus is in a rustic disguise as he unsuccessfully attempts to woo Pomona. He later tried to imitate an old woman and plead his own cause, but succeeded only when he revealed himself in his true form, that of the resplendent, youthful god.The bird cover is opened, the bird raised and set in motion, and the song started with a slide in the edge of the case. The articulated bird rotates, turns its head, opens its beak, flaps its wings and moves its tail.The top of the box, decorated in opaque black enamel and translucent Imperial blue enamel over guilloché and engraved flowerheads and leaves, lifts open separately from the bird cover, and access is gained to the winding squares for the bird and music. These are within a polished gold plate which has pale blue and white champlevé enamel in a loose scrolling foliate pattern. The edges and base of the box have panels similar to the top. One side opens as a cover for the key compartment and the frot hinges forward to wind, set and regulate the watch which has a small repeating slide in the base. D. White enamel, Roman chapters and 60-minute divisions. Blued-steel 'spade' hands. M. 16 x 65 mm, rectangular, brass, going barrel, cylinder escapement, brass escape wheel, gold three-arm balance, blued-steel flat balance spring, striking on two rectangular-shaped gongs by sliding a bolt at the bottom of the case.Singing bird movement. Small rectangular brass, fusee and chain, eight cams and a whistle with sliding piston for the song's modulation. The cams rotate four times per song and lift one step every rotation, allowing a long duration of singing, the multicoloured feathered bird with moving wings, beak, and turning head rotating on its axis. It is facing the inside of the medallion which is mirror polished and concave, enlarging the bird in its reflection, gold engraved grill. Cam-controlled raisinof the bird medallion and the bird, with five-wheel train finished by a pinion in eccentric bushing to regulate the speed of the opening and closing. The complicated mechanism allows for precision control of the raising of the bird and medallion, and its speed.Musical movement. Pin barrel playing with two stacks of eight tuned 'grasshopper' teeth.Stamped 'FR' in an oval on the back of the bird mechanism, on the top plate of the music mechanism, the case stamped GR in a lozenge inside the top cover.Dim. 84 x 59 x 27 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, pages 296-297.