Centuries of Time: A Private Collection
Centuries of Time: A Private Collection
Continental
A gold, enamel and pearl-set quarter repeating verge watch Circa 1810, no. 4594
Auction Closed
May 14, 02:23 PM GMT
Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Continental
A gold, enamel and pearl-set quarter repeating verge watch
Circa 1810, no. 4594
• Movement: unsigned gilded full plate, verge escapement, three-arm balance, decoratively pierced and engraved balance bridge with polished steel end-piece, silver regulation plate, fusee and chain, two polished hammers repeating on a bell to inside case back
• Dial: white enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer minute ring, aperture for winding
• Case: gold, the back with powder blue enamel panel painted en grisaille depicting the Parting of Aberlard and Eloisa after Angelica Kauffman, a seascape in the distance behind, three smallrepairs around lower edge of scene, split-pearl-set bezels, plunge pendant repeat, pulse piece to the bezel at 7 o'clock, stamped to inner bezel 4594
diameter 46.5mm
Engravings and reproductions of the scene of 'The Parting of Aberlard' became fashionable following Jean-Jacques Rousseau's work The New Hélöise, which was originally published in 1761 under the title Lettres de Deux Amans. The novel tells the medieval story of Hélöise of Argenteuil and Peter Abelard. The scene on the watch itself is based on an original composition by the artist Angelica Kauffman. We are shown the moment that the two lovers, Eloisa (Hélöise) and Abelard are parted. Abelard has helped Eloisa escape mistreatment by her uncle and is shown entering a convent in Argenteuil and in her distress is comforted by a Catholic sister.
A similar arrangement of the scene, but polychrome enamel painted, can be found on a watch by Piguet & Meylan with enamel panel attributed to J.F. Dupont, illustrated in A. Chapuis, Montres et Emaux de Genève, Collection Hans Wilsdorf, 1944, pl. 22, p. 125.