Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 144

Kosciuszko's memorial mound. Patek, Philippe & Cie., Genève, No. 15144, made for the Polish market and sold on September 10, 1858. Very rare and important, 18K gold keyless, double-train early independent dead seconds dress watch with winding crown, in fitted leather box, with a gold chain. Accompanied by the Extract from the Archives.

CHF 20,000 - 30,000

EUR 13,000 - 19,000

Sold: CHF 46,000

C. Four-body, “bassine et filets”, back finely engraved with a scene depicting a soldier and two officers in Krakow near General Kosciuszko's memorial mound, straight line engine-turned background, foliate engraved bezels, band engraved with scrolling, gold hinged cuvette. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute/dead-seconds divisions. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. 45.1 mm (20'''), frosted gilt, Mairet tandem winding, 33 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold screws, flat balance spring, independent train activation button at 11 o'clock.Signed on the cuvette, numbered on the movement, cuvette and inside the back cover.Diam. 51 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3 - 14
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 13 - 01

Notes

Patek Philippe was involved in the development of chronograph watches from the very beginning of its existence. By 1840 they had already made independent dead-seconds watches (for example No. 274), based on the principle invented in 1776 by Moise Pouzait of Geneva. Patek Philippe began using the stem-winding system with two barrels as early as 1847. Not many were made, even fewer survived. In 1889 Adrienne Philippe developed and patented his own keyless winding system for two-train watches. The present watch is one of the earliest examples of an independent seconds mechanism by Patek Philippe with the old Mairet winding system. Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Was a general in the Polish army as well as in Washington's army. He was the organizer of what is known as Kosciuszko's insurrection against the Russian occupation.