The Art of Horology in Geneva

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 13, 1999

LOT 86

Attributable to the workshop of Piguet & Meylan, Geneva, circa 1815.La Forge de CupidonVery fine and rare 18K gold and enamel snuff box with automaton scene, in a later fitted box.

CHF 45,000 - 55,000

Sold: CHF 57,500

C. Rectangular with canted corners, dark blue enamelled base and side panels, borders and corners with champlevé enamelled decoration, the cover decorated en suite , the automaton aperture within an hexagonal gold frame engraved with sunflower decoration over a matted ground. The spring loaded shutters chased with an urn and baskets of flowers. Applied on a file enamel painted landscape, the four coloured gold automaton scene, features three cherubs busily working in a forge: one is forging weapns for Venus while another sharps the arrows and the third keeps the fire going in the forge.M. Brass square full plate with cylindrical pillars, going barrel, driving the automata by means of cams and levers.Dim. 80 x 50 x 20 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 22
Movement: * 4 - 5

Notes

Piguet & MeylanAfter the end of his association with Henri-Daniel Capt, from 1811 to 1828, he formed a new partnership with Philippe Samuel Meylan, another native from his own village. They used to work with the company name Piguet & Meylan, but, working mainly for important English dealers trading with China, most of their watches are not signed, although they carry their trademark: PM in a diamond-shaped frame, punched on the front plate beneath the dial. In 1828, just before the end of their partnership, thir premises were at 45, rue Rousseau in Geneva.Philippe Samuel MeylanBorn February 15, 1772 in Bas-du-Chenit, died in 1845. At20 years old he came to Geneva where he worked for the Godemar Frères in quality of Master worker. Afterwards he went back to Brassus where he founded a little factory in 1811. He then returned to Geneva where he he definitively settled. He met another watchmaker from his own village, Isaac Piguet, with whom he entered into partnership, founding the Piguet & Meylan firm, which would last from 1811 to 1828. It specialised in minute cadratures, musical watches, skeleton or automaton watches, mechaical animals and figures.Isaac Daniel PiguetBorn in Chenit in 1775, died in Geneva in 1841. Very skilful watchmaker, he entered into partnership firstly with Henry Capt, from 1802 to 1811, then with Samuel Philippe Meylan, another watchmaker from the same village, until 1828. Their works were signed or marked PM within a lozenge. After 1828, he went on with his activities with his son, either under the name of Piguet & Fils, or under that of I. D. Piguet & Cie. Their creations were for a large part made for the Chinese Market. It is toldthat an important collector from Sidney bought a large quantity of watches and other musical and automaton objects of virtu, but the boat which carried the pieces was shipwrecked in the middle of the Indian Ocean.