Important Watches, Collectors’ Wristw...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Nov 14, 2004

LOT 316

Nicolaus Schmidt der Junger, (Augsburg), circa 1620. Fine and almost certainly unique gilt bronze automaton pre-balance spring table watch designed as a skull which opens and closes its jaws automatically while automaton snakes alternately come out of and return back into the eye sockets.

CHF 150,000 - 200,000

EUR 100,000 - 130,000 / USD 120,000 - 160,000

Sold: CHF 109,250

C. Designed as a skull set on two crossed shinbones and mounted on a gilt brass tripod, the hinged skull cap (restored) disclosing the dial. Later hexagonal ebony molded base. D. Silver champlevé enameled dial with floral decoration. Gilt brass single hand. M. Hinged oval gilt brass full plate with urn pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain steel two-arm balance without spring, gilt brass pierced and engraved irregular cock secured by a screw, with matching click for the ratchet wheel set-up. The movements of the automaton jaw and the snakes in the eyes are controlled by two six-spoke cams driven by the fusee and revolving twenty times an hour, so that the jaws take three minutes to open and then close suddenly while the snakes alternately pop out of, then return back into, each eye socket, twice a minute.Height 14 cm, including the base.Back plate signed.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 4*

Fair

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

The present watch was sold by Antiquorum Geneva in April 1999, lot 620. The movements of these automata are far slower than usual, being driven by the fusee of the going train. They are highly impressive because they deeply alter the expression on the skull?s ?face?. During the first minute, the skull seems to smile; during the second minute it seems to laugh; it then appears to yawn; and finally, the jaws snap shut, as if the skull were trying to bite something. At the same time, one of the snakes slowly sinks back down into one of the eye sockets, while the other slowly comes out of the other eye, before retracting suddenly, as the first snake again springs out from its eye-socket. ProvenancEPreviously in the collection of Charles Georgi, one of the commissioners in charge of the Musée Rétrospectif de la classe 96 horlogerie at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition, this watch was exhibited there in a showcase dedicated to this famous collection. According to Mathieu Planchon, the author of the catalogue, in addition to his collection of early watches and table clocks, Charles Georgi at one time owned on of the best ?Cabinets de Curiosité?, upon which the organizers drew heavily, to fill most of the gaps in the various classes of the Musée Rétrospectif. M. Georgi was, in fact, the main source of material for the Musée Rétrospectif exhibition.