Lot Essay
US$50,000-70,000
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AN IMPORTANT COLLECTION FROM A FAMILY TRUST
FRERES ROCHAT. A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL SINGING BIRD BOX WITH QUARTER REPEATING AND STRIKING CENTRE SECONDS CLOCK WATCH, MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET
SIGNED FRERES ROCHAT, NO. /17, CASE STAMPED WITHIN A LOZENGE GR FOR GEORGES REYMOND, GENEVE, CIRCA 1815
Details
FRERES ROCHAT. A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL-SET MUSICAL SINGING BIRD BOX WITH QUARTER REPEATING AND STRIKING CENTRE SECONDS CLOCK WATCH, MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET
Signed Freres Rochat, No. /17, Case stamped within a Lozenge GR for Georges Reymond, Geneve, circa 1815
With complex gilt-finished movements incorporating three different mechanisms, including chain fusée and rectangular bellows for the singing bird automaton, separate watch movement with cylinder escapement, plain three arm balance, quarter repeating and striking on two steel gongs, musical pin barrel with sixteen tuned teeth, all surmounted by polished steel or blued steel lever work, the rectangular shaped box with translucent blue enamel on gulloché background to the lid centred by a finely painted enamel floral scene, the oval lid hinged to reveal the singing bird, activated only on request, the bird will rotate on its axis, flap its wings and tail, turn its head and open its beak, in time to a realistically imitated bird song, the bird also set with realistic multi-coloured feathers, when the song has finished the bird will automatically retreat inside the box and the lid will close, the four sides of the case similarly decorated in translucent blue enamel over guilloché background with green and white enamel motifed borders, each of the four corners decorated with engraved shaped stylised urns accented with turqoise, white and black enamel, the base also centred with translucent blue enamel on guilloché background with pale blue and translucent yellow enamel decorated border, the front panel hinged to reveal a centre seconds clock watch, white enamel dial with Roman numerals, levers above to activate repeating mechanism and also for strike/silent mode, levers to activate the singing bird and musical mechanisms are placed at the opposite panel of the box, one side lid also hinged as a compartment to hold the key, movement signed and numbered, case stamped, with the original red leather protective travelling box
90x63x32 mm.
Signed Freres Rochat, No. /17, Case stamped within a Lozenge GR for Georges Reymond, Geneve, circa 1815
With complex gilt-finished movements incorporating three different mechanisms, including chain fusée and rectangular bellows for the singing bird automaton, separate watch movement with cylinder escapement, plain three arm balance, quarter repeating and striking on two steel gongs, musical pin barrel with sixteen tuned teeth, all surmounted by polished steel or blued steel lever work, the rectangular shaped box with translucent blue enamel on gulloché background to the lid centred by a finely painted enamel floral scene, the oval lid hinged to reveal the singing bird, activated only on request, the bird will rotate on its axis, flap its wings and tail, turn its head and open its beak, in time to a realistically imitated bird song, the bird also set with realistic multi-coloured feathers, when the song has finished the bird will automatically retreat inside the box and the lid will close, the four sides of the case similarly decorated in translucent blue enamel over guilloché background with green and white enamel motifed borders, each of the four corners decorated with engraved shaped stylised urns accented with turqoise, white and black enamel, the base also centred with translucent blue enamel on guilloché background with pale blue and translucent yellow enamel decorated border, the front panel hinged to reveal a centre seconds clock watch, white enamel dial with Roman numerals, levers above to activate repeating mechanism and also for strike/silent mode, levers to activate the singing bird and musical mechanisms are placed at the opposite panel of the box, one side lid also hinged as a compartment to hold the key, movement signed and numbered, case stamped, with the original red leather protective travelling box
90x63x32 mm.