Important Watches Wristwatches, and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 02, 2000

LOT 407

Swiss, certainly produced in Geneva for the Chinese Market, circa 1820.Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, pearl-set musical snuffbox with automaton scene and built-in centre-seconds watch.

C. Three-body, decorated overall with blue flinqué enamel, the borders with engraved foliage decoration over a green champlevé ground, hinged cover with split-pearl set bezel, disclosing the automaton scene, featuring a couple of four coloured gold musicians, playing the lyre and the harp, applied on each side of the dial over a finely painted enamel palace interior. Hinged base panel. D. White enamel with Roman numerals and outer minute and seconds ring. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. Brass rectngular, the going train with free standing barrel, cylinder escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring. Pin disc musical train with 21 tuned teeth, driving the automaton movements by means of cams and levers.Dim. 80 x 45 x 20 mm.