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Lot Essay
This sublime pocket watch, the property of the descendants of the original owner, is offered here for the first time at auction since its purchase by the Duchess of Bassano in Paris over 200 years ago. It was made by the greatest watchmaker who ever lived, the genius Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823). To own a Breguet watch or clock was to possess one of the ultimate status symbols of the time and unsurprisingly, Breguet’s clients are a roll-call of the monarchs and aristocrats of Europe. The present watch represents the exciting emergence of a publicly unknown important Breguet watch that has descended to the present day within the original family, the great Baring banking dynasty, one of the most titled families in the United Kingdom.
The chief glory of this exceptional Breguet watch is that the case back is decorated with an exquisitely detailed map of the Iberian Peninsula engraved on a silver panel, Spain being outlined with a fine inlaid gold line. It is one of the few timepieces for which the master made any concession to the individual specifications of the owner. Recorded in Breguet’s work ledgers as being sold to the Duchess of Bassano in July 1810, it was almost certainly either collected from Breguet on behalf of, or intended as a gift to her husband, Hugues-Bernard Maret, 1st Duke of Bassano. The Duke was one of Napoleon’s most trusted aides and assisted in drawing up the Spanish Constitution of 1808. The Duchess, born Marie-Madeleine Léjéas-Carpentier, was Lady-in-Waiting to the Empress Marie-Louise, second wife of Napoléon I.
In 1832, their daughter, Hortense Eugenie Claire Maret, married Francis Baring, 3rd Lord Ashburton, and thus became Baroness Ashburton. Presumably inherited from her father upon his death in 1839, the watch entered the Baring family, since descending within the family to the present day.
Among the most expensive Breguet timepieces of the period, the price of 3000 Francs paid for the present watch in 1810 reflects its undoubtedly special nature and the high cost of its production. Interestingly, the Breguet Certificate confirms that the case number was 1583 according to the ledgers, however, it also states that inexplicably (‘pour une raison inexpliqué’), the case numbers are in fact 2234 / 2758.
Only a handful of Breguet’s watches feature maps as case decoration, the present watch is one of two very closely related examples decorated with an engraved map of Spain and Portugal. The other known watch (Breguet no. 2470) was originally ordered by Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon I who had been appointed King of Spain in 1808. This was the period of the Peninsular War (1807–1814), the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. The French were driven out of Spain by the British Army under the command of the Duke of Wellington in 1813. Joseph Bonaparte’s watch remained uncollected in Breguet’s atelier until, with delicious irony, the Duke of Wellington decided to buy it in August 1815, following the Battle of Waterloo, both as a commemoration of the success of his Spanish campaigns and to be the owner of the watch intended for Joseph Bonaparte, a personal symbolic victory over his enemy. Breguet’s ledgers record that the watch was collected on behalf of the Duke by ‘Lord Paget’, his second-in-command at Waterloo, Henry William Paget, Earl of Uxbridge, and later 1st Marquess of Anglesey.
Another similar watch (Breguet no. 2070) but decorated with a map of Bavaria, was sold to Princess Murat in 1807.
A further and fascinating connection between the Duke of Bassano and Abraham-Louis Breguet is that the Duke was instrumental in the commission and sale of the most luxurious and most expensive object ever made by Breguet - the fabulous ‘Sympathique’ clock made as a gift from the French Government to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Mahmud II. Breguet persuaded the Duke (in his capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs) that such an important gift should be a piece from his workshop and the order was agreed for a sympathique clock valued at 35,000 francs. It was paid for by the Ministry in 1812 and delivered to the Sultan in early 1813.
The Duke of Bassano’s son-in-law, Francis Baring, 3rd Lord Ashburton, was also no stranger to the world of watch and clockmaking at the very highest level. Spending much of his time at his house in the Place Vendôme in Paris, he would have been well acquainted with the House of Breguet. In 1845, he also purchased one of the fabled ‘Sympathique’ clocks, no. 257, for the then huge price of 9000 Francs. This remarkable clock was sold at auction in Geneva in 1991, realizing just over 1.2 million Swiss Francs.
In possessing exceptional clocks and watches from Breguet, regarded as some of the greatest status symbols of the day, Lord Ashburton was demonstrating his connoisseurship, his appreciation of the finest craftsmanship, his sophisticated taste and of course, his great wealth.
Hugues-Bernard Maret, Duke of Bassano
Maret rose to prominence as one of Napoleon's secretaries and after a short time, Secretary of State. An experienced politician, his services were of major value to the French Consulate and First French Empire.
In recognition of Maret’s loyalty and competence, the French titles of ‘Comte Maret’ and then ‘Duc de Bassano’ were created by Emperor Napoleon I, in 1807 and 1809 respectively. The ducal title refers to Bassano del Grappa in Italy. This was a rare hereditary honour (becoming extinct in 1906), which gives an insight into how well respected Maret’s work was by Napoleon. Indeed, Maret was extremely devoted to Napoleon, demonstrated by his work to pass into law the artifices adopted by the Emperor in April–May 1808 in order to make himself master of the destinies of Spain. Maret also assisted in drawing up the Spanish Constitution of 1808, which was rejected by almost all Spanish subjects. He accompanied Napoleon through most of his campaigns, including that of 1809 against the Fifth Coalition. In the spring of 1811, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Duke of Bassano died in Paris in 1839.
Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823)
Was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, but it was in Paris that he spent most of his career. His early breakthroughs included the development of the successful self-winding perpétuelle watches, the introduction of the gongs for repeating watches and the first shock-protection for balance pivots. Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were among the early enthusiasts for his watchmaking.
During the French Revolution, Breguet took refuge in Switzerland. When he returned to Paris, it was with the ideas that led to the Breguet balance-spring, his first carriage clock (sold to Bonaparte), the ‘sympathique’ clock and its dependent watch, the tact watch, and finally the tourbillon, patented in 1801. He became the watchmaker to the scientific, military, financial and diplomatic elites of the age. For his most celebrated clients Breguet designed exceptional timepieces, including the world’s very first wristwatch, conceived in 1810 for Caroline Murat, queen of Naples.
Literature:
Breguet No. 2470, engraved with a map of the Iberian Peninsula, sold to the Duke of Wellington in 1815, is described and illustrated in: George Daniels, The Art of Breguet, London, 1975, p. 214, fig. 220a-c.
Breguet No. 2070, engraved with a map of Bavaria, sold to Princess Murat in 1807, is described and illustrated in: George Daniels, The Art of Breguet, London, 1975, p. 206, fig. 200a-d
The chief glory of this exceptional Breguet watch is that the case back is decorated with an exquisitely detailed map of the Iberian Peninsula engraved on a silver panel, Spain being outlined with a fine inlaid gold line. It is one of the few timepieces for which the master made any concession to the individual specifications of the owner. Recorded in Breguet’s work ledgers as being sold to the Duchess of Bassano in July 1810, it was almost certainly either collected from Breguet on behalf of, or intended as a gift to her husband, Hugues-Bernard Maret, 1st Duke of Bassano. The Duke was one of Napoleon’s most trusted aides and assisted in drawing up the Spanish Constitution of 1808. The Duchess, born Marie-Madeleine Léjéas-Carpentier, was Lady-in-Waiting to the Empress Marie-Louise, second wife of Napoléon I.
In 1832, their daughter, Hortense Eugenie Claire Maret, married Francis Baring, 3rd Lord Ashburton, and thus became Baroness Ashburton. Presumably inherited from her father upon his death in 1839, the watch entered the Baring family, since descending within the family to the present day.
Among the most expensive Breguet timepieces of the period, the price of 3000 Francs paid for the present watch in 1810 reflects its undoubtedly special nature and the high cost of its production. Interestingly, the Breguet Certificate confirms that the case number was 1583 according to the ledgers, however, it also states that inexplicably (‘pour une raison inexpliqué’), the case numbers are in fact 2234 / 2758.
Only a handful of Breguet’s watches feature maps as case decoration, the present watch is one of two very closely related examples decorated with an engraved map of Spain and Portugal. The other known watch (Breguet no. 2470) was originally ordered by Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon I who had been appointed King of Spain in 1808. This was the period of the Peninsular War (1807–1814), the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. The French were driven out of Spain by the British Army under the command of the Duke of Wellington in 1813. Joseph Bonaparte’s watch remained uncollected in Breguet’s atelier until, with delicious irony, the Duke of Wellington decided to buy it in August 1815, following the Battle of Waterloo, both as a commemoration of the success of his Spanish campaigns and to be the owner of the watch intended for Joseph Bonaparte, a personal symbolic victory over his enemy. Breguet’s ledgers record that the watch was collected on behalf of the Duke by ‘Lord Paget’, his second-in-command at Waterloo, Henry William Paget, Earl of Uxbridge, and later 1st Marquess of Anglesey.
Another similar watch (Breguet no. 2070) but decorated with a map of Bavaria, was sold to Princess Murat in 1807.
A further and fascinating connection between the Duke of Bassano and Abraham-Louis Breguet is that the Duke was instrumental in the commission and sale of the most luxurious and most expensive object ever made by Breguet - the fabulous ‘Sympathique’ clock made as a gift from the French Government to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Mahmud II. Breguet persuaded the Duke (in his capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs) that such an important gift should be a piece from his workshop and the order was agreed for a sympathique clock valued at 35,000 francs. It was paid for by the Ministry in 1812 and delivered to the Sultan in early 1813.
The Duke of Bassano’s son-in-law, Francis Baring, 3rd Lord Ashburton, was also no stranger to the world of watch and clockmaking at the very highest level. Spending much of his time at his house in the Place Vendôme in Paris, he would have been well acquainted with the House of Breguet. In 1845, he also purchased one of the fabled ‘Sympathique’ clocks, no. 257, for the then huge price of 9000 Francs. This remarkable clock was sold at auction in Geneva in 1991, realizing just over 1.2 million Swiss Francs.
In possessing exceptional clocks and watches from Breguet, regarded as some of the greatest status symbols of the day, Lord Ashburton was demonstrating his connoisseurship, his appreciation of the finest craftsmanship, his sophisticated taste and of course, his great wealth.
Hugues-Bernard Maret, Duke of Bassano
Maret rose to prominence as one of Napoleon's secretaries and after a short time, Secretary of State. An experienced politician, his services were of major value to the French Consulate and First French Empire.
In recognition of Maret’s loyalty and competence, the French titles of ‘Comte Maret’ and then ‘Duc de Bassano’ were created by Emperor Napoleon I, in 1807 and 1809 respectively. The ducal title refers to Bassano del Grappa in Italy. This was a rare hereditary honour (becoming extinct in 1906), which gives an insight into how well respected Maret’s work was by Napoleon. Indeed, Maret was extremely devoted to Napoleon, demonstrated by his work to pass into law the artifices adopted by the Emperor in April–May 1808 in order to make himself master of the destinies of Spain. Maret also assisted in drawing up the Spanish Constitution of 1808, which was rejected by almost all Spanish subjects. He accompanied Napoleon through most of his campaigns, including that of 1809 against the Fifth Coalition. In the spring of 1811, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Duke of Bassano died in Paris in 1839.
Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823)
Was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, but it was in Paris that he spent most of his career. His early breakthroughs included the development of the successful self-winding perpétuelle watches, the introduction of the gongs for repeating watches and the first shock-protection for balance pivots. Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were among the early enthusiasts for his watchmaking.
During the French Revolution, Breguet took refuge in Switzerland. When he returned to Paris, it was with the ideas that led to the Breguet balance-spring, his first carriage clock (sold to Bonaparte), the ‘sympathique’ clock and its dependent watch, the tact watch, and finally the tourbillon, patented in 1801. He became the watchmaker to the scientific, military, financial and diplomatic elites of the age. For his most celebrated clients Breguet designed exceptional timepieces, including the world’s very first wristwatch, conceived in 1810 for Caroline Murat, queen of Naples.
Literature:
Breguet No. 2470, engraved with a map of the Iberian Peninsula, sold to the Duke of Wellington in 1815, is described and illustrated in: George Daniels, The Art of Breguet, London, 1975, p. 214, fig. 220a-c.
Breguet No. 2070, engraved with a map of Bavaria, sold to Princess Murat in 1807, is described and illustrated in: George Daniels, The Art of Breguet, London, 1975, p. 206, fig. 200a-d