Swiss. A fine and very unusual 18K gold hunter case minute repeating keyless lever watch with concertina style case

UNSIGNED, CONCERTINA CASE STAMPED GCF FRES., NO. 46670, CIRCA 1890

Details

Swiss. A fine and very unusual 18K gold hunter case minute repeating keyless lever watch with concertina style case
Unsigned, concertina case stamped GCF Fres., no. 46670, circa 1890
With gilt-finished highly jewelled lever movement, bimetallic compensation balance, wolf's tooth winding, minute repeating on two polished steel hammers, gold cuvette, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, blued steel spade hands, subsidiary seconds, the plain outer case consisting of six hinged covers or lids, comprising four glazed compartments and opened in the concertina manner, repeating slide in the band, case stamped
55 mm. diam.

Lot Essay

The hinged concertina-style case consists of three different parts to each side, each opening in the opposite direction to its neighbour, hence giving a concertina or pleated effect. When unfolded it could be used as a photo frame, exposing the images kept in the various compartments. The present watch might have belonged to a sailor who used it for displaying the photographs of his loved ones during his journeys.

The designation "concertina fold" is derived from the musical instrument "Concertina", part of the accordion family, the body comprising of various layers unfolding in the same manner when the instrument is opened.

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