Important Watches Collector's Wristwa...

The Ritz-carlton Hotel, Feb 20, 2005

LOT 210

The Agate Flask Lépine a Paris, made for the Chinese mar-ket, circa 1770. Very rare and important gold and dendritic ?moss agate? scent flask fitted with a very small clockwatch movement.

HKD 450,000 - 650,000

EUR 45,000 - 65,000 / USD 60,000 - 85,000

C. Pear-shaped flask mounted with polished panels of dendritic?moss agate?, foil backed with silver, engraved gold frameworkand neck, the foot with a hinged cover set with an agate panelforming a compartment to hold the key, stopper with a colouredgem set pinecone finial, secured by a chain to the neck ofthe flask. D. White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals,Arabic five minute markers. Rose diamond set hands.M. 21 mm., frosted gilt, tapering cylindrical pillars, two springbarrels, cylinder escapement, three-arm balance, flat balancespring, striking the hours on a bell, mounted in a drum case withpierced and engraved sound-fret.The bell scratched signed "Drury".Dim. 127 x 60 x 19 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 44
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

Scent flasks incorporating clockwatches are very rare and the present flask has a particularly small striking movement. A French made example is very unusual because most of the flasks to survive from the 18th century are of English manufacture. The celebrated maker of mechanical curiousities and objets d'art, James Cox (circa 1723-1800) is the name most associated with these pieces. In Switzerland, the famous workshop of Jaquet Droz produced a small number of flasks which are of superb quality. Dendritic agate, more comonly known as "moss agate" is chalcedony containing visible impurities in the form of dendrite shapes that resemble moss. Pieces with a good "moss" formation are highly regarded. To make the present flask, pieces of matched color and formation have been used, creating a wonderful example of the combined talents of the watchmaker, jeweler and lapidary.