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Attributed to James Cox. A very fine, rare and attractive 18K gold and gem-set keywound quarter repeating pair case verge watch

UNSIGNED, CIRCA 1760

Details

Attributed to James Cox. A very fine, rare and attractive 18K gold and gem-set keywound quarter repeating pair case verge watch
Unsigned, circa 1760
Gilt-finished finely scroll and foliage engraved verge movement, chain fusée, diamond endstone, quarter repeating on two hammers onto a bell, white enamel dial, Roman numerals, blued steel hand (one hand missing), circular case, pierced and engraved foliate band, the outer case pierced, chased and engraved with rocaille, ruby and emerald-set bezel, back embellished with a rose-cut diamond, amethyst, emerald and ruby-set elephant, diamond-set thumbpiece, repeating through the pendant, unsigned
40 mm. diam.

Special notice

Items which contain rubies or jadeite originating in Burma (Myanmar) may not be imported into the U.S. Please be advised that a purchasers inability to import any such item into the U.S. or any other country shall not constitute grounds for non-payment or cancellation of the sale. With respect to items that contain any other types of gemstones originating in Burma (e.g., sapphires), such items may be imported into the U.S., provided that the gemstones have been mounted or incorporated into jewellery outside of Burma and provided that the setting is not of a temporary nature (e.g., a string).

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Lot Essay

Although unsigned, the present watch displays style elements very similar to the work of James Cox, most notably the sumptuous case, and can therefore be attributed to his workshop.

Preserved in very good and original overall condition, it is furthermore distinguished by the unusual case decoration, depicting a gem-set crowned elephant on a pedestal.

The elephant, a very popular animal, is a symbol of good fortune and longevity in many cultures. Elephants have a reputation in both Indian and Chinese cultures for attracting wealth and good.

Elephants have been the subject of various cultural depictions in mythology, symbolism and popular culture. Revered also in religion, ever since the stone-age, when elephants were represented by ancient petroglyphs and cave art, they have been depicted in different forms of art. The Asian elephant appears in various religious traditions and mythologies. They are treated positively and are sometimes revered as deities, often symbolizing strength and wisdom.

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