Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Apr 28, 2019

LOT 575

UNSIGNED POCKET WATCH WITH QUARTER-REPEATER AND TWO STRIKING JACKS AND AN AUTOMATON SCENE, TOTALIZING FOUR AUTOMATON ACTIONS; 18K YELLOW GOLD AND MULTICOLOURED GOLD

HKD 115,000 - 150,000

CHF 14,850 - 19,700 / USD 15,000 - 20,000

18K yellow gold, open-face, key-winding, round-shaped, pocket watch, with one horological complication and automaton scene: â?¢ Quarter-repeater on two steel gongs (activated by depressing the pendant), leading the two striking Jacks and the animated scene with two functions The chiselled varicoloured gold scene shows two cherubs Jacquemarts (Jacks) striking the elapsed time, and, upper, on a balcony an automaton scene where Punchinello appears to strike the hour on the scythe of Father Time; all animated by the repeating mechanism.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3-8

Good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Brand Unsigned

Model "Punchinello and Father Time"

Year circa 1810-1820

Calibre  22''' gilded brass, with fusee and chain, verge escapement, monometallic balance (gilded brass) and blued steel flat hairspring, pierced and engraved gilded continental cock

Case No. 15 834 / 36 134

Material 18K yellow gold and multicoloured gold

Caliber 22''' gilded brass, with fusee and chain, verge escapement, monometallic balance (gilded brass) and blued steel flat hairspring, pierced and engraved gilded continental cock

Dimensions Ø 62 mm.

Notes

“Punchinello” In this uncommon automaton scene the figure of Punchinello enters the aperture at the top from the left when the pendant is depressed, after he has struck the hours he disappears and the cherubs below then strike the quarters. This type of watch is so rare that Alfred Chapuis and Edmond Droz found only a movement to illustrate it in their book Les Automates, p. 180. Five other watches with this configuration have been already auctioned by Antiquorum: - Signed “François L’hardy (Geneva)” (dial damaged; formerly in the Ruschitti Collection). Antiquorum, Geneva, auction, October 13, 2001, lot 594, unsold (Estimation: CHF 15000.- / 20 000.-); Antiquorum, Geneva, auction, June 14, 2003, lot 183, unsold (Estimation: CHF 10 000.- / 14 000.-). - Signed “Duchene & Fils (Geneva), No. 4562” (dial damaged) Antiquorum, Geneva, auction, November 13, 2011, lot 198, sold for the amount of CHF 11 250.- - Signed “Berthoud No. 10 815” (dial damaged) Antiquorum, Hong Kong, auction, February 26, 2012, lot 157, sold for the amount of HK$ 150 000.- - Signed “Berthoud à Paris” (dial damaged) Antiquorum, Geneva, auction, November 10, 2013, lot 313, sold for the amount of CHF 15 000.- - Signed “Schuttleworth” Antiquorum, Geneva, auction, November 11, 2018, lot 344, unsold (Estimation: CHF 9 000.- / 14 000.-).