A. LANGE & SÖHNE, GLASHÜTTE | A RARE GOLD QUARTER REPEATING KEYLESS LEVER WATCH WITH DEAD CENTRE SECONDS, THE SECONDS WITH STOP/START PUSHER, THE GOLD CASE LATER PURPOSE BUILT IN THE STYLE OF A. LANGE & SÖHNEMOVEMENT CIRCA 1890 NO. 28592, CASE CIRCA 1980

• Movement: 1a quality, cal. 43 gilded ½ plate, lever escapement, gold lever and escape wheel, bi-metallic compensation balance, decoratively engraved balance cock, diamond endstone, precision swan-neck regulation, the dead seconds work mounted and visible to the backplate, some jewels carried in gold screwed chatons, polished steel hammers repeating on coiled gongs, signed and numbered A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte bei Dresden, no.28592  • Dial: white enamel, Arabic numerals, outer minute ring with red Arabic numeral five-minute divisions above, gold Louis XV style hands, gold dead centre seconds hand, signed A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte B/Dresden• Case: later pink gold, custom made in the style of a Lange & Söhne "Louis XV" case, polished covers with stepped bezels, plain polished gold cuvette, the pusher to the crown activating the start/stop of the centre seconds whilst the cover is open, repeating slide to the band, lever for hand-set beneath bezel at 2 o'clock

Martin Huber, Die Uhren von A. Lange & Söhne Glashütte Sachsen, 1988, p. 177, table 44
Kurt Herkner, Glashütte und Seiner Uhren, 1988, pp. 114-116, figs. 67-67a
Martin Huber, Die Lange Liste, p. 185, table 53
Reinhard Meis, A. Lange & Söhne Watchmakers of Dresden vol II, 2012, p. 256 figs. 838-839

Movement: running at time of cataloguing, the dead centre seconds appears to be working well. The repeating work is a little sticky and is not always striking in full, the slide is rather stiff. Will need a service. Dial: a few feint hairline cracks running out from the centre of the dial, some ajoining one another. Case: with signs of polishing, some loss of definition to signatures and hallmarks to inside of covers but these are still legible.
"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."

The archives held at the Deutsches Uhrenmuseum, Glashütte, confirm the date of sale on 23rd December 1890 to C. Jupitz, Berlin, the archives further note that the orignial case was of "Louis XV" design. Lange & Söhne made only six examples of a quarter repeater with dead seconds.  Production of this complication began in 1878 and finished in 1910 (see Reinhard Meis, A. Lange & Söhne Watchmakers of Dresden Vol II, 2012, p. 256). The present piece contains the second iteration of the dead-seconds complication, where the mechanism resided at the top of the three-quarter plate, and could be driven from the third wheel via a train.

The gold case is a high quality custom made replacement - its construction has been carefully and expertly devised to incorporate the complex case functions: the pusher within the crown both opens the case as well starting and stopping the centre seconds whilst the cover is open. The case also has to accommodate the repeating slide and lever that allows the hands to be adjusted.