102nd Auction
2020/6/29
Lot 248
Barthelemy Cuper à Bloy (Blois), 58 x 36 x 26 mm, 59 g, circa 1600
A one-handed shell-shaped pendant watch in a rock crystal case of museum quality, formerly part of the Prince Soltykoff Collection, the Marfels Collection and J. Pierpont Morgan Collection
Case: gilt brass and rock crystal. Engraved frame, hinged and grooved rock crystal cover and back. Dial: brass, gilt, engraved, silver chapter ring with radial Roman numerals, finely cut single iron hand. Movm.: shell-shaped brass full plate movement, barrel, verge escapement, ratchet wheel set up with blued steel spring, two-arm iron balance without balance spring.
The engraving represents a rabbit, various insects and flowers, and the head of a cherub, and is all carried out in the style of Etienne Delaune. There is metal-work around the case, engraved in leaf-pattern design, holding the rock-crystal in its place.
The movement was updated circa 1910 and in the book "Catalogue of the Collection of Watches - The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan" it is already described as "imperfect movement".
Cuper is the name of a renowned family of watchmakers who made themselves celebrated by the introduction of the watchmaking industry into Blois, an industry which spread from that town into a great many places in Europe. So far as can be known, the founder of the family, Barthélomy, was born in Germany about 1530, emigrated to France, and settled down at Blois. He appears to have been a man of noble birth, and had two sons: Paul, the founder of the watchmaking family, and Pierre, who also worked as a watchmaker in Blois. Both these two men were sent by teir father to Germany to study in Nuremberg, the art which Peter Hele (Henlein) had discovered, of making portable watches.
Source: Catalogue of the Collection of Watches - The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan, pages 10 and 11.
Prince Peter Soltykoff (1804-1889)
Art collector; grandson of Count (later Prince) Nikolay Ivanovich Soltykoff (1736-1816), and son of Prince Dmitri Nikolaevich Soltykoff (1767-1826); Moved to Paris in 1840 where he assembled an important collection of medieval objects, including a superb group of early watches and clocks. The finest of these were catalogued by Pierre Dubois, horologist and author, and published in his book in 1858. Prince Soltykoffs entire Collection comprising 1100 lots was sold by auction between 8 April-1 May 1861 at Hôtel Drouot, Paris, and included some 87 "Renaissance" watches and clocks.
Carl Marfels (1854-1929)
.... he was an extremely successful collector, the Marfels collection is today (1902) not only world-famous but is at the same time one of the most exclusive and discerning collections that exist in this field. The Marfels collection of timepieces does not only include some of the oldest known pocket watches but also the most exquisite and rarest pieces with regard to enamel painting, engraving, ornamentation and japanning (vernis Martin); among them were many unusual pieces such as iron or mother-of-pearl pocket watches and watches made from ivory, rock crystal, porcelain, etc….
Source: Lexikon der Uhrmacherkunst by Carl Schulte: Edition Emil Hübner Bautzen 1902
This timepiece is illustrated in the Marfels collection catalogues, inventory no. 1516.
John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913)
Morgan was an American entrepreneur and the most important private banker of his time. He was president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York from 1904 to 1913 and well-known for his large art collection as well as his collections of timepieces and books. Watch enthusiasts are often familiar with his remarkable book "Catalogue of the Collection of Watches - The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan", where this watch is illustrated and described in table VII and pages 10 to 12.
A one-handed shell-shaped pendant watch in a rock crystal case of museum quality, formerly part of the Prince Soltykoff Collection, the Marfels Collection and J. Pierpont Morgan Collection
Case: gilt brass and rock crystal. Engraved frame, hinged and grooved rock crystal cover and back. Dial: brass, gilt, engraved, silver chapter ring with radial Roman numerals, finely cut single iron hand. Movm.: shell-shaped brass full plate movement, barrel, verge escapement, ratchet wheel set up with blued steel spring, two-arm iron balance without balance spring.
The engraving represents a rabbit, various insects and flowers, and the head of a cherub, and is all carried out in the style of Etienne Delaune. There is metal-work around the case, engraved in leaf-pattern design, holding the rock-crystal in its place.
The movement was updated circa 1910 and in the book "Catalogue of the Collection of Watches - The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan" it is already described as "imperfect movement".
Cuper is the name of a renowned family of watchmakers who made themselves celebrated by the introduction of the watchmaking industry into Blois, an industry which spread from that town into a great many places in Europe. So far as can be known, the founder of the family, Barthélomy, was born in Germany about 1530, emigrated to France, and settled down at Blois. He appears to have been a man of noble birth, and had two sons: Paul, the founder of the watchmaking family, and Pierre, who also worked as a watchmaker in Blois. Both these two men were sent by teir father to Germany to study in Nuremberg, the art which Peter Hele (Henlein) had discovered, of making portable watches.
Source: Catalogue of the Collection of Watches - The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan, pages 10 and 11.
Prince Peter Soltykoff (1804-1889)
Art collector; grandson of Count (later Prince) Nikolay Ivanovich Soltykoff (1736-1816), and son of Prince Dmitri Nikolaevich Soltykoff (1767-1826); Moved to Paris in 1840 where he assembled an important collection of medieval objects, including a superb group of early watches and clocks. The finest of these were catalogued by Pierre Dubois, horologist and author, and published in his book in 1858. Prince Soltykoffs entire Collection comprising 1100 lots was sold by auction between 8 April-1 May 1861 at Hôtel Drouot, Paris, and included some 87 "Renaissance" watches and clocks.
Carl Marfels (1854-1929)
.... he was an extremely successful collector, the Marfels collection is today (1902) not only world-famous but is at the same time one of the most exclusive and discerning collections that exist in this field. The Marfels collection of timepieces does not only include some of the oldest known pocket watches but also the most exquisite and rarest pieces with regard to enamel painting, engraving, ornamentation and japanning (vernis Martin); among them were many unusual pieces such as iron or mother-of-pearl pocket watches and watches made from ivory, rock crystal, porcelain, etc….
Source: Lexikon der Uhrmacherkunst by Carl Schulte: Edition Emil Hübner Bautzen 1902
This timepiece is illustrated in the Marfels collection catalogues, inventory no. 1516.
John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913)
Morgan was an American entrepreneur and the most important private banker of his time. He was president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York from 1904 to 1913 and well-known for his large art collection as well as his collections of timepieces and books. Watch enthusiasts are often familiar with his remarkable book "Catalogue of the Collection of Watches - The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan", where this watch is illustrated and described in table VII and pages 10 to 12.
Sold
estimated
10.000—40.000 €
Price realized
31.300 €