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Lot Essay
The present box is distinguished by the outstanding quality of the "taille-douce" engraving to the side panels, typical for watches, snuff boxes and singing bird boxes made in Geneva during the 19th century. The decorative aspect is furthermore enhanced by the colourful enamel miniature by Prochet.
Charles-Abraham Bruguier was born in Geneva in 1788. Throughout his early professional life he concentrated on automata, working for a number of different manufacturers both in London and Geneva before setting up his own business in Geneva. Bruguier was able to master the technique of re-creating "Bird-Song", far greater than his better known predecessors Jaquet-Droz and Les Frères Rochat. After his death in 1862 his workshops were passed down to his two sons and later to his grandson.
Philippe Prochietto, called Prochet, was born in 1825 in Geneva and died in 1890. A pupil of the renowned Swiss enamel painter G. Lamunière, Prochietto was himself known as an excellent enamel miniature artist who often worked for Charles Bruguier. Besides portraits he painted on enamel very fine copies after Old Masters. Examples of his work can be seen in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Geneva.
Charles-Abraham Bruguier was born in Geneva in 1788. Throughout his early professional life he concentrated on automata, working for a number of different manufacturers both in London and Geneva before setting up his own business in Geneva. Bruguier was able to master the technique of re-creating "Bird-Song", far greater than his better known predecessors Jaquet-Droz and Les Frères Rochat. After his death in 1862 his workshops were passed down to his two sons and later to his grandson.
Philippe Prochietto, called Prochet, was born in 1825 in Geneva and died in 1890. A pupil of the renowned Swiss enamel painter G. Lamunière, Prochietto was himself known as an excellent enamel miniature artist who often worked for Charles Bruguier. Besides portraits he painted on enamel very fine copies after Old Masters. Examples of his work can be seen in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Geneva.