Important Watches, Collectors’ Wristw...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Nov 14, 2004

LOT 320

The Smallest Viennese Watch Philipp Voter, Wien, circa 1760. Magnificent and highly important 20K gold, tortoiseshell and bloodstone triple-cased miniature watch with silver cock, with outer case in the shape of a walnut.

CHF 18,000 - 23,000

EUR 12,000 - 15,000 / USD 14,000 - 18,000

C. Outer: two-body, gold mounted bloodstone, middlEtwo-body, ?Louis XV?, gilt brass covered on the back with tortoiseshell. Inner: two-body, ?bassine? with deep back, pierced and engraved on the band, rosette in thecenter. D. Rose gold, champlevé Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute Arabic markers onpolished cartouches. Blued steel ?fleur-de-lis and poker? hands. M. 15.5 mm, hinged, frosted gilt full-plate with turned baluster pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, brass balance with flat balance spring, single-footed silver cock.Signed on dial and movement.Diam. 18.8 mm (outside protective bloodstone case 25 x 30 x 30 mm).


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

Philip Voter also Votter, Vöter and Vötter Was a well known Viennese watchmaker and clockmaker. There is a longcase regulator by him known with jeweled pallets. He became master in 1731, died in 1763. The watch is considered to be the smallest Viennese watch ever made. ProvenancEPossibly King Farouk Collection. Christie?s, Manson & Wood, London, July 5, 1971, lot 169. LiteraturEBaillie, in his ?Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World?, describes this watch under the heading ?Votter?, indicating that as early as 1929 it was in a well-known collection. Bruun Rasmussen claimed that the watch was in the King Farouk Collection. Abeler also mentions the watch and its presence at the Christie?s sale in 1971. For a note about miniaturization, see lot 435.