The Art of Horology in Geneva

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 13, 1999

LOT 83

Attributable to Rochat, Geneva, the box by Jean- Georges Rémond, Geneva, circa 1815.Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, pearl-set singing bird box with music.

CHF 65,000 - 75,000

Sold: CHF 55,200

C. Rectangular with rounded corners, engine-turned, borders and corners chased with black champlevé enamelled foliage decoration. over a matted ground, the singing bird aperture with split-pearl set bezel. Hinged side panels for key compartments. The singing bird box cover enamelled with a very finely painted scene, inspired from an event of English History. Inner engine-turned cover. Musical movement: Brass rectangular full plate, pinned drum musical train with four stacked tuned teeth. Singingbird movement: Rectangular plates with turned pillars, fusee with chain, rectangular bellow, the bird with moving wings, tail, beak and turning head, controlled by a stack of 8 cams, gold engraved grill.Jean-Georges Rémond Master mark punched on the box.Dim. 95 x 55 x 23 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 6
Movement: * 3

Notes

The scene painted on the singing bird box cover could also be drawn from a Shakespearian tragedy.Jean-Georges RémondGeneva, goldsmith, active from 1783 to 1815-20.Master goldsmith 22 December 1783 and struck his first Master mark. Seven years later he appears to have formed a company: Georges Rémond & Cie., which eventually became circa 1800, Rémond, Mercier, Lamy & Cie. During the French occupation of Switzerland by Napoléon, J.-G. Rémond recorded marks which were in accordance with the laws of the newly formed Département of Léman, i.e. his initials within a lozenge. From 1815 to 1820, the firm Lamy, Rémond, Mercier, Daniel Berton, used a similar mark,ut no longer enclosed by a lozenge. It seems that Rémond retired or died during this partnership, since in 1820 a new firm of Mercier, Blondel and Berton was formed. However this new company only lasted a further seven years, until 14 April 1827.Rémond's different Master marks: between laurel branches, circa 1780 - 1790. with a crown above, circa 1790 - 1800. circa 1800 - 1810. in a lozenge, circa 1810 - 1815. 1815, before 1820.From the Mark Yaffe Collection