Lot 113
  • 113

HY MOSER & CIE | A RARE AND FINE GOLD, ENAMEL AND DIAMOND-SET HUNTING CASED PRESENTATION GRANDE AND PETITE SONNERIE CLOCKWATCH WITH TRIP MINUTE REPETITION MADE FOR THE NOBEL BROTHERS PETROLEUM COMPANY IN AZERBAIJANCIRCA 1890, NO. 4100

Estimate
26,000 - 42,000 GBP
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Description

  • Hy Moser & Cie
  • A RARE AND FINE GOLD, ENAMEL AND DIAMOND-SET HUNTING CASED PRESENTATION  GRANDE AND PETITE SONNERIE CLOCKWATCH WITH TRIP MINUTE REPETITION MADE FOR THE NOBEL BROTHERS PETROLEUM COMPANY IN AZERBAIJANCIRCA 1890, NO. 4100
  • diameter 54mm
• Movement: gilded and highly jewelled, two train with tandem winding, lever escapement, bi-metallic compensation balance, repeating on two coiled gongs • Dial: white enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute ring, subsidiary seconds, blued steel hands• Case: 18ct gold, front with black, blue, red enamel and diamond-set Russian Imperial Royal Eagle, the back with enamel painting of the Ateshgah of Baku, slides beneath the bezel marked for strike/silent and full strike/quarters only for Grande and Petite Sonnerie, short trip repeat slide to the band, cuvette, case front and back numbered 10100, gold polished cuvette signed Moser in Cyrillic and English and numbered 4100

Condition

Dial: Asmall chip beneath 11 and a couple of small scratches. Cases: The strike/quarter engraving is a little rubbed in the band, diamonds are all present and enamels intact. Movement: Running and repeating, may benefit from a service.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping."

Catalogue Note

The polychrome enamel depicted on the case lid of the present lot is the Branobel oil company’s logo.  The logo featured Fire Temple in Baku Azerbaijan, where the firm was headquartered. Ludwig, Robert, and Alfred Nobel founded an oil company in Baku, Azerbaijan in 1876, and transformed it into a shareholding company headquartered in St. Petersburg in 1879.  At the start of the 20th century, 50% of the world’s oil extraction was centered in Baku, and the Nobel brothers owned about 40% of that production.  They named their company Branoble, which was short for “Nobel Brothers” in Russian, and by 1916, they were the largest oil company in Russia. The firm could not withstand the Russian Revolution, thus when Bolsheviks seized power in Baku in 1920, they nationalized all oil production in Azerbaijan.

Alfred Nobel, famous for the invention of dynamite, and the largest individual investor in the company, endowed $265 million to the fund for the Nobel prize after his death in 1896.   About 12% of his personal capital came from his shares in the family’s oil business.  It is thought that as much of 22% of the foundation’s endowment comes from wealth earned from the Branoble oil company.  Alfred felt strongly about supporting the Nobel Foundation.  The first Nobel Prize was awarded to his brother Ludwig by the Imperial Russian Technological Society in 1888 for his contributions to the oil and metallurgy sector.  Alfred’s Will specified the fields in which the Nobel Prize should be awarded, and stated that the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congress.”