Exceptional Horological Works of Art

Geneva, Oct 19, 2002

LOT 137

Attributable to Frères Rochat and Rémond, Geneva, retailed by Quantin, "Joaillier Bijoutier, Palais Royal No. 151, a Paris", circa 1835. Extremely rare and very fine gold and enamel singing bird bracelet with option for singing with medallion open or closed.

CHF 1 - 1

EUR 1 - 1

Sold: CHF 773,500

C. Hinged eight-link bracelet, each link entirely decorated with black and white champlevé enamel with foliate and floral motifs, center with rectangular box of scalloped edges decorated en suite with oval aperture for the bird cover finely painted with an allegory of Autumn represented by a young woman with grapes, gold grill engraved with repeated geometrical pattern, spring-loaded catch. M. Rectangular, small, 57 x 44 mm., brass, reversed fusee and chain, six tune cams between the plates, rotating four times, and three over the back plate for the bird, round bellows, unusual mechanism allowing the bird to sing with closed lid. Dim. Length 200 mm., bracelet width 40 mm., box: 65 x 50 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 22
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Notes

To ensure that the bird medallion does not open accidentally when worn on the wrist, the Rochats added a special locking mechanism, allowing the bird to sing in both the upright and hidden positions. This makes the box not only the smallest of singing bird boxes but also one of the most complicated. It has been said that the Rochat brothers were in partnership with Rémond arround 1830. There are only four singing bird bracelets known: 1. In the Patek Philippe Museum, sold by Antiquorum by private treaty, 2. This one, 3. One illustrated in "Les Automates" by Alfred Chapuis and Edmond Droz, p. 209, 4. In Sandoz Collection, also illustrated in "Les Automates", p. 210. All four are very similar in decoration, with black and white enamel, the bracelets vary in shape, the boxes are very similar both in shape and decoration. One of the reasons they are so rare is the extreme miniaturi-zation of the movement, in order to fit it in a bracelet. A regular singing bird movement can be up to six times larger than this one. Three of the four known bra-celets are unmarked, with no signature and no serial number.