97th Auction
2018/5/12
Lot 572
Louis Elyssé Piguet / H. Barbezat-Bôle, Le Locle, Case No. 3085, 54 mm, 117 g, circa 1900
An attractive hunting case pocket watch with 4 hammers and 4 gongs carillon minute repeater
Case: 18k gold, engraved monogram. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement, "Brevet 11948" (Montre à répétition-carillon à quatre marteaux), gold screw compensation balance.
This magnificent watch impresses the viewer with the excellent condition of its case, dial and movement. Four hammers strike four different gongs for the minute repeater, a so-called carillon chime. This is a rare and very sophisticated construction designed according to a patent by César Racine - he specialised in this kind of complication and received a Médaille d'Or during the Exposition Nationale Suisse in 1896.
The cuvette is engraved with a dedication that tells us that the watch was a Christmas present given as a sign of appreciation to Paul Meille in Turin: Souvenir affectueux et reconnaissant de Paul Meille, Turin 25. Décembre 1901.
Paul Meille (1851-1902) was a banker and philanthropist, member of the Waldensians and one of the founders of the Société d'Histoire Vaudoise.
He was born in Turin as son of pastor Giovanni Pietro Meille and Swiss Sylvie Ruchet; in 1880 he married French Emilie Gaufres (1858-1928) and the couple had four children. After inheriting a fortune in 1879, he dedicated large sums of his money to charity, mostly to the Waldensians and other social facilities. He was elected as member of the Turin Chamber of Trade several times and the board honoured him with the title Knight-Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy. From 1897 until his death in 1902 he was Consul of the Netherlands in Turin. Meille died on August 13, 1902 in Affoltern (near Zurich), where he had been staying for reasons of ill health.
An attractive hunting case pocket watch with 4 hammers and 4 gongs carillon minute repeater
Case: 18k gold, engraved monogram. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement, "Brevet 11948" (Montre à répétition-carillon à quatre marteaux), gold screw compensation balance.
This magnificent watch impresses the viewer with the excellent condition of its case, dial and movement. Four hammers strike four different gongs for the minute repeater, a so-called carillon chime. This is a rare and very sophisticated construction designed according to a patent by César Racine - he specialised in this kind of complication and received a Médaille d'Or during the Exposition Nationale Suisse in 1896.
The cuvette is engraved with a dedication that tells us that the watch was a Christmas present given as a sign of appreciation to Paul Meille in Turin: Souvenir affectueux et reconnaissant de Paul Meille, Turin 25. Décembre 1901.
Paul Meille (1851-1902) was a banker and philanthropist, member of the Waldensians and one of the founders of the Société d'Histoire Vaudoise.
He was born in Turin as son of pastor Giovanni Pietro Meille and Swiss Sylvie Ruchet; in 1880 he married French Emilie Gaufres (1858-1928) and the couple had four children. After inheriting a fortune in 1879, he dedicated large sums of his money to charity, mostly to the Waldensians and other social facilities. He was elected as member of the Turin Chamber of Trade several times and the board honoured him with the title Knight-Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy. From 1897 until his death in 1902 he was Consul of the Netherlands in Turin. Meille died on August 13, 1902 in Affoltern (near Zurich), where he had been staying for reasons of ill health.
Sold
estimated
30.000—40.000 €
Price realized
34.800 €