Important Watches Collector's Wristwa...

The Ritz-carlton Hotel, Feb 20, 2005

LOT 172

?The Abduction of Helen? Ilbery, London, No. 6213, made for the Chinese market, circa 1825. Very fine and rare, 18K gold, painted on enamel, pearl-set, center-seconds pocket watch with duplex escapement. C.Three-body," Empire", the back cover with a very finely painted scene depicting the abduction of Helen, the band with split pearls on an azure enamel ground, the bezels set with half pearls, gold hinged engraved cuvette. D.White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute and seconds divisions with fifteen-minute/seconds Arabic markers. Gold "spoon" hands. M. 48 mm, gilt brass, entirely engraved "Chinese" bridge caliber, 7 jewels, standing barrel, ruby duplex escapement, five-arm plain steel balance, blued steel flat balance-spring. Movement signed. Diam. 60 mm.

HKD 230,000 - 270,000

EUR 23,000 - 27,000 / USD 30,000 - 35,000


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3 - 53
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

Helen and Paris After a beauty contest between three goddesses, Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, the judge, Paris, (son of the King of Troy) was promised the most beautiful woman in the world by the victorious goddess Aphrodite (Venus). This happened to be Helen, the wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta. When Menelaus left for Crete for his grandfather?s funeral, Paris seduced Helen and took her to Troy. For his sake Helen abandoned her daughter by Menelaus. The often-seen phrases the ?abduction of Helen? or even the ?rape of Helen?, are only conventions; for she went with Paris of her own free will and in doing so involuntarily caused the Trojan War. Herodotus (5th century B.C.), recounting the abduction of Helen, remarks ?it is stupid after the event to make a fuss about avenging it. The only sensible thing is to take no notice; for it is obvious that no young woman allows herself to be abducted if she does not wish to be.? Interestingly, according to one legend, Helen was the fruit of another ?rape?: the seduction of Leda by Zeus, in the form of a swan.