100th Auction
2019/11/15
Lot 26
Courvoisier Frères "Mobilis", La Chaux-de-Fonds, Movement No. 102882, Case No. 2502, 53 mm, 102 g, circa 1900
A "poor man's tourbillon" in almost mint condition, based on Paul Loichot’s Swiss patent no. 30754; with club-tooth lever escapement and a rare, lavishly decorated niello-silver case with matching niello-silver chatelaine and pill box - with original box
Case: niello-silver. Dial: gilt, engine-turned and florally engraved. Movm.: full plate movement, U.S. Pat. appl. for D.R.P. ang. Pat. N. 7888/1905, Brevettato R.A.208.N.232, Btè S.G.D.G. 30754, screw compensation balance.
The delicately wrought case of this pocket watch is decorated with a filigree pattern of stars and tendrils as well as an eye-catching rose gold signature cartouche. The watch comes with a matching chatelaine made of niello-silver links with stripe pattern and a small box with floral ornamentation.
Brothers Henri-Louis and Philippe Auguste Courvoisier traded from 1842 on under the name "Courvoisier Frères". When more brothers joined the partnership in 1882, they changed the company name to "Courvoisier Fils". Specialising in high quality watches, they were commissioned by the city of La Chaux-de-Fonds to create a watch for the Prussian King William IV; at the time this ultra-flat watch was supposedly the thinnest in the world. The tourbillon movement invented by the Swiss Paul Loichot (which he turned in the case so it would be visible face-sided) was patented for the Courvoisier brothers on July 4th, 1905 under the number 19062 and the name "Mobilis".
A "poor man's tourbillon" in almost mint condition, based on Paul Loichot’s Swiss patent no. 30754; with club-tooth lever escapement and a rare, lavishly decorated niello-silver case with matching niello-silver chatelaine and pill box - with original box
Case: niello-silver. Dial: gilt, engine-turned and florally engraved. Movm.: full plate movement, U.S. Pat. appl. for D.R.P. ang. Pat. N. 7888/1905, Brevettato R.A.208.N.232, Btè S.G.D.G. 30754, screw compensation balance.
The delicately wrought case of this pocket watch is decorated with a filigree pattern of stars and tendrils as well as an eye-catching rose gold signature cartouche. The watch comes with a matching chatelaine made of niello-silver links with stripe pattern and a small box with floral ornamentation.
Brothers Henri-Louis and Philippe Auguste Courvoisier traded from 1842 on under the name "Courvoisier Frères". When more brothers joined the partnership in 1882, they changed the company name to "Courvoisier Fils". Specialising in high quality watches, they were commissioned by the city of La Chaux-de-Fonds to create a watch for the Prussian King William IV; at the time this ultra-flat watch was supposedly the thinnest in the world. The tourbillon movement invented by the Swiss Paul Loichot (which he turned in the case so it would be visible face-sided) was patented for the Courvoisier brothers on July 4th, 1905 under the number 19062 and the name "Mobilis".
Sold
estimated
5.000—10.000 €
Price realized
6.900 €