Hughes. An extremely fine and rare gilt and enamel perfume flask with clock watch, made for the Chinese Market

MOVEMENT SIGNED HUGHES, LONDON, NO. 2341, CIRCA 1760

細節

Hughes. An extremely fine and rare gilt and enamel perfume flask with clock watch, made for the Chinese Market
Movement signed Hughes, London, No. 2341, circa 1760
With gilt-finished full plate verge movement, finely engraved and pierced balance cock and foot, plain three arm brass balance, chain fusée, striking on one polished steel hammer onto a bell, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, outer Arabic five minute divisions, skeletonized gold hands, the silver bezel set with translucent and ruby-coloured pastes, the perfume flask with finely painted enamel decoration, the front depicting a classical landscape with two cherubs and an eagle apparently holding the watch with a pink ribbon, the reverse depicting Bacchus and Ariadne observed by a cherub, the cream-coloured band decorated with a wreath of blue ribbons, trophies of music and flowers, a spray of mallow on white enamel background to the bottom, gold stopper with finial in the shape of two endorsed mauve-coloured shells containing each a bouquet of flowers, movement signed
107 mm. high

來源

Masterpieces from the Time Museum, Sotheby's New York, 2 December 1999, lot 23.

拍品專文

In the 18th century, objects of vertu set with a watch, such as the present lot, were very much desired by Chinese patrons. These so-called "Toys of the Heart" comprised highly decorated perfume flasks, spyglasses, pocket knives, snuff boxes and others fitted with a watch or automaton.

The present lot is most probably by William Hughes, who specialised in watches for the Chinese Market and was listed in London, High Holborn, around 1781.

For a note on Chinese Market watches see lot 92 in this sale.