Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 18, 1998

LOT 334

Swiss, made for the French Market, circa 1793. Fine and rare silver, decimal watch with Republican calendar and decorated dial.

CHF 7,000 - 9,000

C. Double body Directoire, polished. D. White enamel with Arabic numeral, outer Republican date ring of 30 clays and inner Roman ring for the five hours of the decimal time. The centre painted with an allegory evoking the proclamation by the Convention in 1794, of the slave emancipation in the French colonies. Blued-steel Breguet hands. M. Hinged giltbrass full plate with conical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring and gilt-brass continental cock with polished-steel end-piece. Diam. 58 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: A

Good
Case: 4

Fair
Movement: *4

Fair

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 29-51

Lacking elements

Partially reprinted

Notes

The abolition of slavery in the French colony, voted upon Abbot Gregoire's initiative, was proclaimed by the Convention on 4 February 1794: "La Convention Nationale declare aboli l'esclavage clans toutes les colonies; en consequence elle decrete que tons les hommes, sans distinction de couleur, domicilics clans les colonies, sort citoyens francais et jouissent de tolls les droits assures par la Constitution". Unfortunely, slavery was reinstated by Bonaparte on 20 May 1802 on most of the territories, Saint Domingue excepted. It was not in fact abolished definitively by the Provisory Government of the Republic until 27 April 1848, on the initiative of Victor Schoelcher, Deputy of Martinique and Guadeloupe: "L'esclavage sera entierement aboh clans toutes les colonies et possessions francaises, deux mois apres la promulgation da present decret clans chacune d'elles. A partir de la promulgation du present decret, clans les colonies, tout chatiment corporel, route vente de personnes non libres, seront interdits".