Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 565

Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill: an Exalted FriendshipJohn Halsted, London, hallmarked 1712-13.Exceptionally fine and rare 22K gold pair cased quarter-repeating watch of Royal provenance with a provision for "silent" à tact repeating.

C .by "EF", outer: two-body, back divided into 12 lobes, decorated with alternating queen's crowned head and a Queen Anne's profile in repousee, center with initials "SC", matted background, pierced bezels for the sound finished with twisted rope pattern, box-hinge. Inner: Two-body, "bassine" with deep back, band very finely pierced and engraved with anhibited foliage, exotic birds, two putti's heads by the pendant and a portraiot of a lady under a baldachin, between the British unicorn to theeft and a lion's to the right, polished back with small rosette in the center. D. gold, on a hinged to the case dial plate, champlevé Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute Arabic markers on polished cartouches, matted background, center repoussé with a shield and a mask. Blued steel "beetle and poker" hands. M. 40 mm, pinned to the dial plate, frosted gilt full-plate with turned baluster pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, steel balance with flat balance spring, single-ooted cock with streamers, vase in the center and a mask at the neck, repeating on bell by depressing the pendant.Signed on dial and movement, case hallmarked with London's gold marks and casemaker's trademark.Diam. 58 mm