Masterworks of Time: Splendours for the East 「時間傑作:西器東傳」

Masterworks of Time: Splendours for the East 「時間傑作:西器東傳」

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 574. A GOLD AND ENAMEL TRIPLE CASED QUARTER REPEATING WATCH MADE FOR THE TURKISH MARKET 1816, NO. 1875 [黃金畫琺瑯三套殼二問懷錶,為土耳其市場製造,年份約1816,編號1875].

Ray & Montague, London

A GOLD AND ENAMEL TRIPLE CASED QUARTER REPEATING WATCH MADE FOR THE TURKISH MARKET 1816, NO. 1875 [黃金畫琺瑯三套殼二問懷錶,為土耳其市場製造,年份約1816,編號1875]

Lot Closed

November 12, 04:18 PM GMT

Estimate

8,000 - 12,000 CHF

Lot Details

Description

Ray & Montague, London


A GOLD AND ENAMEL TRIPLE CASED QUARTER REPEATING WATCH MADE FOR THE TURKISH MARKET

1816, NO. 1875

[黃金畫琺瑯三套殼二問懷錶,為土耳其市場製造,年份約1816,編號1875]


Movement: gilded full plate, verge escapement, polished flat steel three-arm balance, decoratively pierced and foliate engraved balance cock and broad asymmetrical foot, diamond endstone, two steel hammers repeating on a bell mounted to the inside case back, gilt-metal dust ring, backplate signed and numbered Ray & Montague, London no.1875, bell scratch signed Drury 

Dial: white enamel, Turkish numerals, outer minute ring, gold pierced hands, signed Ray & Montague, London

Cases: 18ct gold inner, the back with chased and engraved gold foliage centred with a stylised translucent red enamel flower head surrounded by similar red enamel roundels and one open roundel acting as the winding aperture, the band decoratively pierced for sound emission, engraved and heightened with opaque white and translucent blue and red enamel, the bezel with semi-circular red enamel roundels bordered with opaque white enamel, barley twist enamel decorated and diamond-set pendant, hallmarked London 1816 and maker's mark AN incuse, • 22ct gold mid case, the back with polychrome enamel painted bouquet of flowers against a pale pink translucent enamel ground over engine-turning, both bezels pierced and with pink enamel ground interspersed by light pink enamel stars and red translucent enamel flowers, inner bezels further enamel decorated, hallmarked with Sun in Splendour and London date letter for 1816, maker's mark AN incuse • gold outer case, glazed to the back, bezels with pink and translucent red flowers against a green enamel ground, inner bezel further enamel decorated, London hallmarks for 1816


diameter of inner 35mm, mid case 43mm, outer case 50mm


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From the 18th century onwards, watches made for the Turkish market were frequently cased in triple and, occasionally, quadruple cases. Initially this trend appears to have been solely for protective purposes; in their book Technique and History of the Swiss Watch, Jaquet and Chapuis quote a traveller who explained the use of multiple cases was to ensure: "the watch should not be damaged by the pistol at the belt" [see op. cit. 1970, p.126]. Later this practice of enclosing the watch in multiple cases became customary for the more elaborate and ornately decorated enamel watches destined for the Turkish market. Such watches could feature combinations of panels decorated in a variety of genres from Turkish landscapes to floral bouquets and military trophies to arabesques. Green, pink, red and blue enamels were especially prevalent within the decorative schemes.


Ray & Montague are recorded at Denmark Street, Soho.