.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with enamel dial in 1887 and its subsequent sale on 25 March 1889. Furthermore delivered with the photocopy of a confirmation from Patek Philippe stating that it was made in 1887 and sold on 25 March 1889 to Mr. A. Maurer.
To the best of our knowledge, this watch has never been offered in public before. With its 8 lignes movement it is amongst Patek Philippe's smallest watches with a cylinder movement. All watches realized before 1900 with a movement smaller than 10 lignes are to be considered "miniature". They are very rare, usually one-off examples made on special request: it is not until World War I and mainstream usage of wristwatches that such a movement size will be manufactured serially. An idea of the rarity of such timepieces is given by the fact that the present watch is one of five known hunter case miniature watches. Its five-hinge case, characteristic for Patek Philippe's high quality cases, is an exact miniature replica of the large size versions. Such cases were generally reserved for more important watches as they created extra work for the case maker and are a sign of superior craftsmanship.
The company's smallest watch with a diameter of only 9.023 mm. and a 4 lignes keywound cylinder movement was exhibited at the London World Exhibition in 1851 (see Patek Philippe Pocketwatches by M. Huber & A. Banbery, p. 106, pl. 13). The second smallest example featuring a keyless 5 lignes cylinder movement was manufactured in 1893 and numbered 97'332. The possibly third smallest example with a keyless 6 lignes lever movement no. 97'364, manufactured in 1893, was sold in this saleroom on 18 May 2004 for SFr. 59,750 (lot 87).
To the best of our knowledge, this watch has never been offered in public before. With its 8 lignes movement it is amongst Patek Philippe's smallest watches with a cylinder movement. All watches realized before 1900 with a movement smaller than 10 lignes are to be considered "miniature". They are very rare, usually one-off examples made on special request: it is not until World War I and mainstream usage of wristwatches that such a movement size will be manufactured serially. An idea of the rarity of such timepieces is given by the fact that the present watch is one of five known hunter case miniature watches. Its five-hinge case, characteristic for Patek Philippe's high quality cases, is an exact miniature replica of the large size versions. Such cases were generally reserved for more important watches as they created extra work for the case maker and are a sign of superior craftsmanship.
The company's smallest watch with a diameter of only 9.023 mm. and a 4 lignes keywound cylinder movement was exhibited at the London World Exhibition in 1851 (see Patek Philippe Pocketwatches by M. Huber & A. Banbery, p. 106, pl. 13). The second smallest example featuring a keyless 5 lignes cylinder movement was manufactured in 1893 and numbered 97'332. The possibly third smallest example with a keyless 6 lignes lever movement no. 97'364, manufactured in 1893, was sold in this saleroom on 18 May 2004 for SFr. 59,750 (lot 87).