Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 91

Movement punched FR (Frères Rochat), Geneva, No. 333, circa 1820, case made at the end of the 19th century. Fine and large gold and enamel, paillon-set singing bird box.

CHF 8,000 - 10,000

EUR 5,200 - 6,500

Sold: CHF 14,950

C. Two-body, hinged base revealing a compartment, decorated in translucent imperial blue enamel over engine-turning, set with fine gold paillon flower garlands, the bird cover with a painted on enamel flower bouquet,winding aperture at the top lid.Singing bird movement: 74 x 41 mm, rectangular brass, fusee and chain, eight cams and a whistle with sliding piston for the song's modulation. The cams rotate four times per song and lift one step every rotation, allowing a long duration of singing via L-shaped lever lifted by a cam set on a separate arbor with 4 notches entered by a pin on a wheel set under the bird cams - the final Rochat arrangement. Cam-controlled raising of the bird medallion and the bird, with five-wheel train finished by a pinion in eccentric bushing to regulate the speed of the opening and closing. The complicated mechanism allows for precision control of the raising of the bird and medallion, and its speed.Stamped "FR" in an oval on the back of the bird mechanism.Dim. 95 x 60 x 49 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 4

Fair
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Notes

This box represents the final development of the singing bird mechanism by the Rochats. The lifting is implemented in a very secure way with an L-shaped lever with a short foot via a well-designed 4-jump wheel, the lifting of the bird as well as its cover by a rather complicated mechanism, which, however, assures that the lid can be closed even if the mainspring breaks. The movement of this singing bird box, the sound of the singing and the quality of the finishing was evidently so appreciated that a special box was later made for it.