Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Mar 27, 2011

LOT 185

James Cox, Pan ? Watch with Three Concealed Erotic Scenes James Cox, London, No. 1586. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1775. Very fine and extremely rare, 18K gold and painted on enamel pocket watch with three concealed erotic scenes.

C. Three-body, "Consular", the back cover painted with a vase of flowers against a chiaroscuro grey-green background, the bezel decorated with green champlevé enamel leaves and engraving, the inside of the back cover with a painted enamel scene with a nude woman holding in the one hand a goblet given her by Pan, the personification of Lust, in the other the main attribute of the Satyr, the inner dome painted with two lovers on a sofa engaged in a riding lesson. On the other side of the inner dome, the same couple as the scene continues. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute dot divisions with five minute Arabic numerals, winding aperture at 4 o'clock. Elaborate gold hands. M. 28 mm, hinged, gilt brass full plate with conical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain steel three-arm balance, singlefooted gilt brass cock pierced and engraved with mask at the base, rack and pinion regulator. Movement signed and numbered. Diam. 40 mm. Property of an Swiss collector