Exceptional Horological Works of Art

Geneva, Oct 19, 2002

LOT 4

Patek Philippe & Cie., Genève, No. 198048, case No. 290540, made for Henry Graves Jr. in 1927. Exceptional, one of only two known, astronomical double barrel, eight day going large silver desk clock with perpetual calendar, phases of the moon and eight day power reserve indicator, accompanied by two original silver/gold/steel keys and matching calendar adjustment pin.

CHF 1 - 1

EUR 1 - 1

Sold: CHF 1,103,500

C. Rectangular, slanted like a desk top, hinged, when opened revealing a compartment for keys and small personal items, the corners decorated with four gold rosettes, Graves? coat-of-arms (an eagle surmounting a crown) at the bottom, top with applied stylized foliate decoration, two applied ribbons below 5 and 7 o?clock, laurel-leaf decorated bezel, side panels with applied silver and gold foliate decorations, the back panel en suite with additional laurel-leaf wreath, thin wooden base. The movement housed in a three-piece hinged-back case with winding and setting apertures. D. Silver, whitened and matted, champlevé radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary date below 12 o?clock, center with two apertures for the days of the week and months, phases of the moon aperture above 6 o?clock concentric with leap year cycle indications and subsidiary seconds, up & down sector concentric with hands arbor. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 53 mm. (23 1/2???), rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 21 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring, "swan-neck" micrometric regulator, two barrels wound simultaneously, differential up & down mechanism. Signed on dial, case and movement, cuvette engraved "Made for Henry Graves Jr., New York". Dim. Depth 11.5 cm., width 8 cm., height 2 - 5.5 cm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

The present Graves clock is virtually unknown, having been in the hands of a private collector for many years. It seems that the company made only two clocks like it, both for Patek Philippe?s most important clients of the time, Henry Graves Jr. and James W. Packard. The Packard clock, No. 197707, is described and illustrated in "Patek Philippe, Geneva" by Martin Huber and Alan Banbery, Geneva 1982, p. 71-72, and is part of the Patek Philippe museum collection. This clock is superbly finished, with extreme attention to details. For instance, some of the screws are numbered (from 0 to 5) to ensure that they will always be properly placed. All parts are extremely well polished, the wheels are gold, the escapement is superbly finished, the design is elegant.