Lot 146

Le Roy à Paris, 53 mm, 115 g, circa 1780
An extremely rare and splendid verge pocket watch with matching chatelaine; blued iron case with applied four-colour gold repousée ornamentation
Case: blued iron/gold. Dial: enamel. Movm.: full plate movement, chain/fusee, three-arm brass balance.
Verge pocket watches dating from the 18th century do not usually come in iron cases – the technical efforts are much higher than with gold or silver cases. To come across such an unusual timepiece with applied four-colour gold ornamentation and even with its original chatelaine is indeed a stroke of luck.
The iron case shows a classical scene with a tree nymph attempting to seduce a shepherd and a putto eavesdropping in the background. The rim of the case is lavishly decorated with baroque motifs: rocailles, meander and grotesques. The front rim has a laurel scroll of green gold with red and yellow gold ribbons and bows. The chatelaine is partly open-work and bedecked with 8 medallions showing classical scenes. Length 180 mm.