Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces
Hong - Kong, Oct 09, 2010
LOT 122
Longines ? Magnificent Sculptural Watch Specially made for Russia ? One of fewer Than Five Pieces Made. Longines, Geneve, No. 2352324. Made for the Russian market in commemoration of Russia?s most illustrious naval commander Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov (1744-1817), sold to Longines' Russian agent Schwaub in 1911. A magnificent, extremely fine and equally rare, very large, minuterepeating, 14K pink gold and cast silver keyless exhibition-type watch with chronograph.
HKD 500,000 - 660,000
USD 65,000 - 85,000 / EUR 50,000 - 67,000
Sold: HKD 812,000
C. Four-body, massive, the front cover with a cast and chased high-relief panel decorated with a bust of Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov surrounded by a military trophy, pink gold rim, the back cover with a cast and chased high relief panel of two warships at sea, pink gold rim, the three-dimensional band cast and chased with chimera above a leaf scroll and surmounted by mermaids, the pendant in the form of a swagged urn with anchors, pink gold pine cone winding crown and pink gold trefoil bow. Hinged silver cuvette with engine-turned border. D. White enamel with Breguet numerals, outer minute and fifths of a second divisions with Arabic five-minute numerals, subsidiary seconds. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. 19/20???, matte gilt, straight-line lever escapement, 31 jewels, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring with overcoil, index regulator, repeating with two polished steel hammers on two gongs activated by a curved slide beneath the dial. Dial and movement signed. Cuvette signed W. Gabus. Diam. 84 mm.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: |
|
Case: 2 |
Very good |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 2-01 |
Very good HANDS Original |
Notes
Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov (1744 - 1817 в) The most illustrious Russian naval commander and admiral of the 18th century, he was born in the village of Burnakovo in the Yaroslavl Gubernia, to a modest family of the minor nobility. On February 15, 1761, he joined the Russian Navy in Saint Petersburg. He served on a galley in the Baltic Fleet. In 1768 he was transferred to the Don Flotilla (Azov Sea Navy) in Taganrog and served in the Russo-Turkish War. He commanded Catherine II?s's own yacht, and later defended Russian trade ships in the Mediterranean from the British pirate attacks. In 1799, Ushakov was promoted to full admiral and sent to the Mediterranean to support Suvorov?s Italian campaign. During this expedition, Ushakov single-handedly carved out the Greek Republic of Seven Islands. He cleared the French from Corfu and all the Ionian Islands. His squadron then blocked the French bases in Italy, notably Genoa and Ancona, and successfully assaulted Naples and Rome. Emperor Paul, in his capacity of the Grand Master of the Order of St. John, ordered Ushakov to proceed to Malta, which had been besieged by the British to no effect. Admiral Nelson could not bear the idea that he would have to follow Ushakov's orders (the Russian commander being his senior in naval rank) and suggested that the Russian squadron should be dispatched to Egypt instead. Open conflict between the commanders was forestalled by Ushakov's being recalled to Russia in 1800, where the new Emperor, Alexander I, failed to appreciate his victories. Ushakov resigned command in 1807 and withdrew into the Sanaskar Abbey in modern-day Mordovia. He was asked to command the local militia during the Patriotic War of 1812 but declined. In the course of 43 naval battles under his command he did not lose a single ship.