Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 87

The Nightingale. Attributed to Frères Rochat, Geneva, circa 1820, made for the Chinese market. Exceptional and extremely rare gold and enamel, split-pearl-set miniature singing bird cage.

CHF 0 - 0

EUR 0 - 0

Sold: CHF 883,500

C. Octagonal base and side panels finely painted with bouquet of flowers and fruits, with translucent imperial blue enamel background over wavy engine-turning, canted corners of translucent imperial blue enamel over elaborate engine-turning, the cage , following the shape, standing on a gold ribbon bordered with azure champlevé enamel, with filigree wire pattern centered by split-pearl rosette,supported on azure enamel Corinthian columns with yellow gold capitals surmounted by gold and blue enamel vases with bases of enamel simulating black marble, the eight panels of the dome made of alternating sectors of filigree floral gold pattern set with split pearls and enamel simulating sapphires, and sectors with filigree scrolling. Inside, a gold bar with very realistic nightingale.Gold ring handle mounted in gold finial with azure enamel, gold paw feet. Singing bird movement. Octagonal, 81 x 80 mm, brass, fusee and chain, circular bellows, six-wheel train (including fusee), 3rd wheel arbor set with eight spring-loaded cams which make 4 revolutions per song - controlling the singing and the bird's movements, the lifting of the cams facilitated by a gear revolving on the same 3rd wheel arbor but with a different speed, 2-wing governor set on a worm (endless) gear with adjustable weights.Dim. Height 179 mm, base 91 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: -

Notes

Just as miniaturization in watchmaking led to the creation of remarkable miniature movements with repeating mechanisms that could be put into rings, so the miniaturization of singing bird mechanisms, in particular the change from serinette to the piston-controlled movement, led to the creation of these remarkable small singing bird cages.The present cage with its movement in which the long duration of the song is achieved by a very unconventional and ingenious means: shifting the cams via a wheel mounted concentrically to them but rotating at a different speed- a very elegant and unusual solution which saved space and allowed for further miniaturization. When admiring this and the next lot, one can not escape the feeling that they are the culmination of the decades, if not centuries, of exploration and experience of precision mechanics as well as of goldsmithery.For those interested in mathematics: The 2nd wheel of 36 teeth drives the cam wheel of also 36 teeth normally would be a pinion. The 2nd wheel has another 27-tooth wheel at the top driving a 36-tooth wheel loosely set on the cam wheel arbor. Above the 8 cams is a lifting cam which rotates with them. The loosely mounted wheel on the 2nd arbor rotates during the song 4 revolutions of the cams 27x4/36= 3 times. Since during the first rotation there is no shifting, this arrangement allows each song cam to be utilized.Very few miniature gold cages with one bird are known. They are as follows:* The present cage;* One in the Sandoz Collection (see Le Locle Museum catalogue, No. 27, also pictured on p. 237, Flights of Fancy, by Sharon and Christian Bailly, Antiquorum Editions, 2001);* Musikautomaten Museum, Seewen, (see p. 236, Flights of Fancy, by Sharon and Christian Bailly, Antiquorum Editions, 2001);* Private Collection (see p. 238, Flights of Fancy, by Sharon and Christian Bailly, Antiquorum Editions, 2001);* A Private American Collection (see Antiquorum, May 26, 1980, lot 195);* A cage sold by the Uto auction house in 1982.A similar miniature cage, with two birds, was sold by Antiquorum, May 12, 1980, lot 195.