Exceptional Collectors Timepieces, Ho...

Geneva, May 15, 2005

LOT 168

?Hexagonal Pear-Shaped? Ilbery, London, No. 6124, made for the Chinese market, circa 1800. Very fine and magnificent gold, pearl, enamel, moss agate and agate-set hexagonal pear-shaped pocket watch with center seconds and duplex escapement

CHF 65,000 - 85,000

EUR 40,000 - 55,000 / USD 55,000 - 70,000

Sold: CHF 74,750

C. Three-body, elongated hexagonal, bezel decorated with translucent red enamel with black borders, pendant,bow and finial at 6 similarly decorated, sprung and hinged back cover released by a catch in the pendant and withpearl set border, the case body set throughout with moss agate and various hues of striated agate ranging fromamber to deep orange set within a gold framework. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute trackwith Arabic quarter hour markers. Pierced gold hands. M. 41 mm, gilt, Chinese caliber, chased and engraved withflowers and scrolls, standing barrel, duplex escapement, flat-rim polished five-arm steel balance wheel with bluedsteel flat balance-spring, diamond endstone, index regulator.Movement signed.Dim. 106 x 65 mm overall.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

Dendritic agate, more commonly 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. This watch is a wonder-ful example of the combined talents of the watchmaker, jeweler and lapidary. The present watch is one of the extremely rare, unusually shaped watches set with dendritic agates made by Ilbery for the Chinese market. Their rich decoration and fanciful shapes were intended to appeal to the imaginations and satisfy the exacting tastes of the Chinese elite. Listed below are the shapes we have seen to the present day (here illustrated in the background): - Elongated hexagonal (Antiquorum, Hong Kong, May 29 and 30, 1989, lot 246); - Tear-drop shaped (Antiquorum, Tokyo, 16 December 1990, lot 419)-- Octagonal (Antiquorum, Geneva, April 11 and 12, 1992, lot 537); - Hexagonal pear-shaped (the present watch ) Active in London from 1780 in Goswell Street, he moved to Duncan Terrace towards the end of the 18th century. Following James Cox in London and Jaquet Droz in Switzerland, he also specialised in the production of luxury watches for the Chinese Market. His early production was very much in the English style, featuring a full plate movement and an English type single wheel duplex escapement. However, for his highest quality watches, he incorpo-rated a spring detent escapement. Later, the watch movements he produced were much inspired by the Lepine caliber with free-standing barrel, as were Jaquet Droz?s Swiss production signed in London and that of William Anthony, who worked in London. The cases of his watches were sumptuously decorated by the best Genevan enamelers, such as Jean-Francois- Victor Dupont, who usually signed his work, and Jean-Louis Richter, who signed rarely. He organized the production in Switzerland, mainly in Fleurier, of profusely engraved movements for the Asian market. He was followed in this by makers such as Bovet and Juvet who also worked in Fleurier (Val de Travers). Ilbery can therefore be considered one of the most representative makers of ?Chinese? watches. He seems to have maintained close contacts with the continental trade since a watch signed ?Ilbery Paris? is known and Ilbery & Son are recorded in London and Fleurier, as well as in Canton.