The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 3

Beauty and DignityThomas Beatson, London, No. 375, circa 1790.Very fine gilt metal pair-cased quarter-striking and repeating double-train clock watch, centre-seconds, made for the Oriental market.

CHF 8,000 - 10,000

USD 5,000 - 6,000

Sold: CHF 11,500

C. Outer: the back with an enamel panel of a peacock-tail design, of blue translucent enamel over radial guilloché, decorated with opaque green enamel and gold paillon crescents under a clear overglaze, the band with pierced and engraved foliate work. Inner: two-body, the band matching the outer case decoration, the back cover engraved with a leaf rosette, gilded dust cap. D. White enamel, Roman chapters, outer minute and fifth second divisions, Arabic five minute/seconds numerals. Gold 'cathedrl' hands. M. 40 mm o, hinged gilt brass full plate with turned pillars, the back plate entirely decorated with scrolls, flowers, and leaves. Two-train, going train with fusee and chain, cylinder escapement, overbanking pin directly on the staff, brass escape wheel, plain three-arm balance with blued-steel balance spring, English-style cock symmetrically pierced and engraved with leaves alternating with fleur de lis, balance jewelled, the top pivot with diamond endstone. Fixed barrel with five-whel train. Striking on a bell with two hammers, strike/silent lever at 3 o'clock, repeater at 8 o'clock.Signed on the dust cap.Diam. 64 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 264-265.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 4 - 5 - 6
Movement: 4 - 5 - 6*
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

The peacock-tail motif was popular towards the end of the eighteenth century and afterwards, particularly for watches destined for China. The Chinese Phoenix, sovereign of all birds, and a metaphor for persons of high virtue and rare talent, has peacock feathers. In Chinese culture, the peacock is an emblem of beauty and dignity, and its tail feathers were used, at the beginning in the Ming dynasty, to signify official rank.Beatson Thomasis recorded as having worked in London at the end of the 19th century.