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Swiss. A fine and rare 18K pink gold skeletonized quarter repeating openface keywound jaquemarts watch with concealed erotic automaton
Lot 373

Swiss. A fine and rare 18K pink gold skeletonized quarter repeating openface keywound jaquemarts watch with concealed erotic automaton

UNSIGNED, CASE NO. 14312 AND NO. 1015, CUVETTE NO. 1015, CIRCA 1820

Closed10 November 2014

Price Realised

CHF 16,250

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Swiss. A fine and rare 18K pink gold skeletonized quarter repeating openface keywound jaquemarts watch with concealed erotic automaton
Unsigned, case no. 14312 and no. 1015, cuvette no. 1015, circa 1820
Gilt-finished movement full plate movement, engraved and pierced balance cock, plain three arm steel balance, quarter repeating on two gongs, gilt cuvette, small white enamel dial with Breguet numerals, gilt moon-style hands, skeletonized surround surmounted by a vari-coloured gilt scene depicting two standing figures striking the bells in unison with the quarter repeating function, while pushing a small lever in the ribbed two blued steel shutters with applied vari-coloured gilt cornucopia and bird open to reveal an automaton erotic scene, engine-turned circular case with ribbed band, repeating through the pendant, case and cuvette numbered
59 mm. diam.

Specialist note

Jaquemarts have a long tradition and figure already in the first edition of the French National Academy's dictionary, which appeared in 1694, with the following definition:

"JAQUEMART. Figure de fer ou de fonte, reprsentant un homme arm, laquelle on met d'ordinaire sur le haut d'une tour pour frapper les heures avec un marteau sur la cloche de l'horloge."
Figure made of solid or cast iron representing a man in arms, which is usually put up on top of a (clock) tower to strike the hours with a hammer onto the bell of the clock."

Watches decorated with the miniature versions of these clock tower "men in arms", particularly when featuring the additional complication of a concealed erotic automaton, such as the present example, are as popular today as they were in the 19th century.