Anonymous, Swiss, attributable to Jacquet Droz, circa 1785. An historically interesting and very fine 18ct. gold and enamel centre-seconds watch, taken from the Royal Collection at the Peking Palace of the Emperor of China, Yuen-Ming Yuen, in 1860, by Aurelli Pereira De Paiva | Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks

Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks

Hotel Furama Kempinski, May 24, 1992

LOT 127

Anonymous, Swiss, attributable to Jacquet Droz, circa 1785. An historically interesting and very fine 18ct. gold and enamel centre-seconds watch, taken from the Royal Collection at the Peking Palace of the Emperor of China, Yuen-Ming Yuen, in 1860, by Aurelli Pereira De Paiva

HKD 150,000 - 200,000

CHF 30,000 - 40,000

Sold: HKD 126,500

C. Three-body, ribbon engraved band, the bezels decorated with rope-twist patterns in white enamel centred with floral motifs, the back panel with an elaborate pattern of leaves and pellets in silver and gold paillons. Hinged gold cuvette with inscription. D. White enamel, Roman numerals with outer minute and seconds marks. Pierced gold 'cathedrales' hands with blued-steel centre-seconds. M. GiIt full plate, partly engraved with raised barrel cover, counter-sunk cylinder escapement, plain brass balance and flat spring. Pierced continental style cock. In excellent condition. Diam. 57 mm.

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Notes

In common with many of the finest Chinese market watches now in collections in the West, this watch was undoubtedly looted from the Imperial Palace when the Allied Western armies seized the capital during the Second Opium War in 1860. Paiva was evidently with the conquering armies, and must have been a member of the same Portugese family into which the infamous Russian born Therese Lachman, Marquise de Paiva, married, subsequently becoming a renowned Parisian socialite and spy for Bismark.