Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Nov 16, 2008

LOT 730

The Royal Presentation Mirror-Image Pair Geneva, Swiss, No. 2007 & 2008, the enamels depicting ?Affection & Innocence? attributed to Jean-Abraham Lissignol (1749-1819) after an engraving by Francesco Bartolozzi, the cases No. 9703 & No. 9704 by Freres Oltramare (c. 1810/11 and 1826). Made circa 1815 for presentation in the name of King George III to the Chinese Emperor Jiaqing in 1816. An extraordinarily fine, magnificent and historically important, large, mirror-image pair of gold, painted on enamel and pearl-set, quarter-repeating pocket watches with special three-tone blued-steel decorated mirror-polished steel and gilt movements. Accompanied by the original morocco fitted presentation case, the lining embossed with the arms of King George III and a gold and painted on enamel key.

C. Four-body, of unusual form, by Freres Oltramare, master mark ?FO?, the full width of the band entirely set with large splitpearls giving a bowed effect, the bezel, pendant and bow entirely set with split pearls, the back cover with an extremely finely painted on enamel scene of ?Affection & Innocence?, in mirror image to the second watch, large split pearl-set border. Hinged gold-rimmed glazed cuvette to view the movement. D.White enamel with bold radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds. Blued steel lozenge hands. M. 52 mm., 23???, unusual three-tone, gilt brass, mirror-polished steel and blued steel, Lepine-type calibre, brass plate and going barrel finely engraved with scrolling foliage, mirror-polished steel bridges and cocks, to the surfaces of which have applied finely pierced and chased blued steel foliate decoration, brass pivot bushes, jeweled cylinder escapement with steel escape wheel, three-arm balance with polished steel rim, flat balance spring, index regulator, repeating with two hammers on two square-section polished steel gongs activated by depressing the pendant. Diam. 62 mm.