Live Auction 1369IMPORTANT WATCHES Including A CONNOISSEUR'S VISION
Christie’s roundel
Lot 350 From the Collection of the late Albin Schaeder

Anon and Williami. A lot of two silver openface pair case coach watches, one with half quarter repeating and alarm

BEARING THE SIGNATURE JULLIEN LE ROY, PARIS, CIRCA 1780, AND SIGNED JUSTIN WILLIAMI, LONDON, IPCB, CIRCA 1750

Closed16 November 2009

Price Realised

CHF 12,500

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Anon and Williami. A lot of two silver openface pair case coach watches, one with half quarter repeating and alarm
Bearing the signature Jullien Le Roy, Paris, circa 1780, and signed Justin Williami, London, IPCB, circa 1750
Both with gilt-finished verge movements, chain fusées, pierced and engraved balance cocks, the first with two trains, quarter repeating and hour striking on two hammers onto a bell, pull half quarter repeat with later cord, alarm striking on a third hammer, white enamel dial, Roman numerals, pierced gilt hands, outer Arabic date ring, central arrow-shaped date hand, inner 12 hour alarm ring with central alarm hand, large plain circular case, pierced scroll decorated band, plain outer case, gimballed pendant, movement bearing the signature Jullien Le Roy; the second with four trains, lacking striking and repeating mechanisms, bell still in place, later enamel dial, Arabic numerals, finely pierced and engraved circular case, outer silver and brass protective case, movement signed
104 mm. diam., 117 mm. overall diam. & 112 mm. diam., 175 mm. overall diam. (2)

From the Collection of the late Albin Schaeder
Born 1921 in a tenant farmer's lodge in Neder-Kalix in northern Sweden, Albin Schaeder taught himself already at an early age the manufacture and the repair of a variety of items, using the scarce resources accessible.

His interest in clocks and watches was initiated by his father's tending of the only clock in the house, an alarm clock. The skilful local village smith and fiddler, who had made his own violin, also led Albin to the fabrication of violins.

Driven by a never ending curiosity and energy, he became not only a gifted watchmaker and manufacturer with his own workshops, but also a musical instrument builder, artist and author, notably of The Proletarian Watch - A tribute to Georges Frederik Roskopf and De underbara Uren.

Specialist note

For an illustration and short description of the coach watch signed Justin Williami (possibly for Vulliamy) see De underbara Uren by Albin Schaeder, p. 245.