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Barthelemy Duhamel. A fine and rare 18K gold and enamel openface verge watch, enamel in the manner of Huaud

SIGNED BARTHELEMY DUHAMEL, CIRCA 1700

Details

Barthelemy Duhamel. A fine and rare 18K gold and enamel openface verge watch, enamel in the manner of Huaud
Signed Barthelemy Duhamel, circa 1700
With gilt-finished verge movement, chain fusée, Egyptian pillars, engraved and pierced silver cock and foot, plain three arm steel balance, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, outer Arabic five minute divisions, single brass hand, the centre decorated with a painted enamel scene depicting a mythological couple, the case decorated in the manner of Huaud, painted polychrome enamel pastoral vignettes to the band, framed by foliage and flowers on yellow and mauve ground, the reverse with a painted polychrome enamel scene depicting Venus and Adonis, the interior also decorated with a painted pastoral scene, movement signed
40 mm. diam.

Literature

Die Uhr - Zeitmesser und Schmuck in fünf Jahrhunderten, Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, 10. Juni 1967 - 16. Juli 1967, pp. 152-153.

Exhibited

Die Uhr - Zeitmesser und Schmuck in fünf Jahrhunderten, Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, 10 June - 16 July 1967.

Lot Essay

Barthélemy Duhamel (1662-1705)
Master watchmaker in Geneva and son of Pierre Duhamel, a watchmaker from Blois who had immigrated to Geneva.

In 1675 Barthélemy was "lent" by his father to the renowned master watchmaker Abraham Bobinet for a five years apprenticeship as watchmaker who instead confided him to the townsman and watchmaker Pierre Urbain Dufour. As of 1688 Barthélemy trained apprentices himself, notably Philippe Decombe.

The enamel decoration on the present case can be attributed to a pupil of the renowned Huaud dynasty of enamellers who had their workshop in Geneva. For a note on the Huauds see lot 228 in this auction.

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