Property from the Collection of the Late Henry B. Fried
A heavy and fine three color gold hunting cased keyless one-minute tourbillon watch with Chronometer escapement, for the South American market, Circa 1880
Lot Closed
June 11, 05:12 PM GMT
Estimate
15,000 - 25,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Dial: silvered heightened by three color gold chased foliate decoration, roman numerals
Caliber: 19’’’ ligne, damascened nickel pivoted detent movement, one minute tourbillon carriage with Guinand Type 1 cage
Case: 18k yellow gold, cuvette, hinged case and case back with glazed dust cover, the case chased with foliate decoration one lid centered by a spray of flowers, the reverse centered by a blank cartouche
Case number: 10’409
Size: 53.5 mm diameter
Signed: dial and cuvette
Box: no
Papers: no
Henri La Forge is listed in Osvaldo Patrizzi, Dictionnaire Des Horologers Genevois, p.246, as a merchant working in Geneva between 1860-1880, the entry also notes that he was a seller of very fine watches for the South American market, including a one-minute tourbillon watch made by Ernest Guinand. H. La Forge is also listed in Reinhard Meis, Das Tourbillon, p.349 where it notes another La Forge Tourbillon no. 16036. Ernest Guinand was a tourbillon maker of high repute. Although he died in 1879, 85 of his tourbillons were tested at the Observatory in Neuchatel as late as 1881 with two attaining second and third place in the timing contest of 1879, see Kathleen H. Pritchard, Swiss Timepiece makers vol.1 p.G-96.
An overall wonderful example of a keyless tourbillon.