Pre-Lot Text
To satisfy the Chinese market, master goldsmiths, enamellers and technicians from England, France and Switzerland respectively, combined their skills and artistry to manufacture increasingly lavish and whimsical timepieces and objects of fantasy in all guises.
A stunning marriage of 19th century Swiss automata technology and exquisite craftsmanship, the present watch epitomises the creativity of watch makers in Europe to satisfy the ever-growing demand for clocks and automata by the Imperial court and its courtiers in China, as well as European aristocrats and royal families, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. The frst automata appeared in Geneva in the late 18th century, small technical marvels imitating the movements of living creatures or beings, ranging from simpler 'Bras en l'Air' figures whose arms would indicate the time to incredibly complex works such as pastoral, the present theatre or other scenes. Some of these automata were ftted with repeating or musical mechanisms and were highly appreciated works of art not only in Europe but also by Chinese and
Ottoman dignitaries.
The 'Theatre' or ballroom automation is perhaps one of the rarest automata creations ever made. It is believed less than 8 pieces were ever manufactured and the present watch can be attributed to the firm of Du Bois et Fils based in Neuchatel, Switzerland from 1738 to 1808. The firm was responsible for other automata masterpieces such as the 'Tightrope Dancer' and 'Moses'. All theatre watches known use similar ebauches leading us to believe that they were all made by the same maker however each watch is decorated slightly different to one another.
A very similar watch, however not set with pearls was
sold in Geneva in 1996 for 366, 500 Swiss Francs and is now on display in the prestigious Patek Philippe museum in Geneva.
A similar watch is described in Les Montres Chinoises, Skatkine, Geneva, p. 84. Further examples are also illustrated and described in Le Monde de Automates, pages 53-56.