Live Auction 1891Important Pocket Watches And Wristwatches
GREGSON. AN 18K PINK GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL OPENFACE KEYWIND VERGE WATCH
Lot 235

GREGSON. AN 18K PINK GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL OPENFACE KEYWIND VERGE WATCH

SIGNED GREGSON, PARIS, CIRCA 1790

Closed17 October 2007

Price Realised

USD 5,250

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GREGSON. AN 18K PINK GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL OPENFACE KEYWIND VERGE WATCH
SIGNED GREGSON, PARIS, CIRCA 1790
With gilt-finished verge movement, pierced and engraved balance bridge, white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, the bezels set with split pearls, the back with opaque green enamel ground with a polychrome enamel landscape scene of Artemis and Actaeon, dial signed
50mm diam.

Specialist note

The enamel scene portrays the story of the Greek prince and hunter Actaeon who one day comes upon the Goddess of the Forest, Artemis bathing in a stream at the sacred spot of Gargaohie. Actaeon stands and watches the naked virgin and when discovered Artemis becomes enraged and changes Actaeon in to a stag. This punishment is so that Actaeon can tell no others he has seen her naked, "now you are free to tell that you have seen me all unrobed, if you can tell" (Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.192). The hunter has been turned in to the hunted. Actaeon is chased by his dogs and finally succombs to them and is killed. The image of Actaeon and Artemis can be represented in two ways, one with the Goddess's main attributes, the bow and arrow, or in the stream as she flings water in Actaeon's face.