The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 364

The Barking DogJ.D. Piguet & P. Meylan à Genève, No. 19, circa 1811.Amusing and very rare early silver quarter-repeating 'barking dog' automaton watch, made for the Chinese market.

C. Three-body, 'Empire', engine-turned back, reeded band and bezel. D. Eccentric, white enamel ring with Breguet numerals and outer minute divisions and gold engine-turned central disc, applied varicoloured gold automaton scene of a dog chasing a goose, both applied to a dial mask of blue translucent enamel over engine-turning. Blued-steel Breguet hands. M. 49.6 mm o, gilt brass half-plate, free-standing barrel, cylinder escapement, brass escape wheel, plain three-arm brass balance, flat balancespring. The quarter-repeating barking dog mechanism with a round bellows and whistle is activated by depressing the pendant. The dog moves its head with each movement of the bellows. Bolt at 2 o'clock to block the pendant.The movement stamped 'PLotM' and '19' below, and scratched on the dial plate 'par I. D. Piguet et P. Meylanà Genève'.Diam. 54 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, pages 324-325.