Important Collectors Wristwatches, P...
Geneva, Nov 16, 2008
LOT 487
Martin-Pouzait Escapement and Quarter Repeating Lepaute, Hger de l?Empereur a Paris, No. 1897. Themovement dated May, 1809. Very fine and extremely rare, quarter-repeating, 18K rose gold pocket watch with fast-beating Martin-Pouzait early French lever escapement.
CHF 20,000 - 25,000
USD 18,000 - 23,000 / EUR 13,000 - 16,000
C. Three-body, ?Empire?, No. 99, by Amy Gros (mastermark AG below a star in a lozenge), polished back, reeded band, locking bolt for the repeat between 10 and 11 o?clock. Gilt metal cuvette. D. White enamel by Lucard, with Breguet numerals, outer minute track with Arabic fifteen-minute numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands.M. 50 mm., frosted gilt, fusee and chain, the top plate cut away for the barrel which is held by a separate bridge, fast-beating Martin-Pouzait lever escapement with safety action, the plate with aperture to view the escapement, three-arm brass balance, the balance and escape wheel pivots jeweled, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator, repeating with two polished steel hammers on two gongs activated by depressing the pendant. Dial, movement and cuvette signed, the case with Paris marks and Amy Gros mastermark, reverse of the dial signed Lucard. Diam. 55 mm.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AA |
Very good |
Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3-29-01 |
Good Lacking elements HANDS Original |
Notes
Pierre-Basile Lepaute (1750-1843). Called Sully-Lepaute, along with his son Pierre-Michel (1785-1849) he ran the famous company established in the 1740?s. He was Horloger de l?Empereur during the Empire and Horloger du Roi in the Restoration and the July Monarchy. Under the Empire he supplied clocks to the Garde-Meuble. In 1819 and 1823 he exhibited at the Exhibitions of the Products of the Industry. Clients of Lepaute included Louis XV, Louis XVI, Madame du Barry, Duc de Bourbon, the Princesse of Monaco, King Ferdinand VI, King Charles III and Charles IV of Spain.
Literature: La Montre Française, Adolphe Chapiro, Les Editions de l?Amateur, 1991, pp. 285, fig 567, 569 & 570. Les Montres des Le Paute et la Contribution de ces Derniers a la Mise au Point de l?Echappement a Ancre, Adolphe Chapiro, Bulletin Ancaha, No. 39, printemps 1984.