101st Auction
2019/11/16
Lot 465
A collection of 5 pocket watches
Bovet à Fleurier, Case No. 169, Calibre Tixier, 62 mm, 134 g, circa 1860
A pocket watch with lavishly florally hand-engraved movement for the Chinese market. To the best of our knowledge there are only a few other watches with Tixier caliber left.
Case: silver, glazed movement. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement, engraved, keywind, standing barrel, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance with blued steel weights.
Jean Tixier was born in France and came to Fleurier around 1850 where he became an important figure to produce goods for the Chinese market; it was due to his influence that the design of the movements for this market changed quite considerably. Tardy lists the name Jean Tixier - and we can assume that the entry refers to this Tixier – for a village watchmaker at Clermont-Ferrand. He is recorded to have worked there from 1840 to 1854; then the Frenchman presumably moved to Fleurier. In Fleurier he was soon involved in the production of goods for the Chinese marked and made important changes to the movements designed for this customer group.
Edouard Bovet born in Fleurier, Switzerland in 1797, son of a local master-watchmaker, Jean-Frédéric Bovet. In 1814 Edouard Bovet leaves Fleurier with his brothers Alphonse and Frédéric to work as a watchmaker in London. 1818 Edouard Bovet's employer, the Magniac company, sends him to Canton, the only Chinese port open to Western trade. Since 1822 Bovet, now living in Canton, founds a partnership company for the China watch trade. Business booms, and the company quickly transfers production to Fleurier.
Bovet à Fleurier, Case No. 169, Calibre Tixier, 62 mm, 134 g, circa 1860
A pocket watch with lavishly florally hand-engraved movement for the Chinese market. To the best of our knowledge there are only a few other watches with Tixier caliber left.
Case: silver, glazed movement. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement, engraved, keywind, standing barrel, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance with blued steel weights.
Jean Tixier was born in France and came to Fleurier around 1850 where he became an important figure to produce goods for the Chinese market; it was due to his influence that the design of the movements for this market changed quite considerably. Tardy lists the name Jean Tixier - and we can assume that the entry refers to this Tixier – for a village watchmaker at Clermont-Ferrand. He is recorded to have worked there from 1840 to 1854; then the Frenchman presumably moved to Fleurier. In Fleurier he was soon involved in the production of goods for the Chinese marked and made important changes to the movements designed for this customer group.
Edouard Bovet born in Fleurier, Switzerland in 1797, son of a local master-watchmaker, Jean-Frédéric Bovet. In 1814 Edouard Bovet leaves Fleurier with his brothers Alphonse and Frédéric to work as a watchmaker in London. 1818 Edouard Bovet's employer, the Magniac company, sends him to Canton, the only Chinese port open to Western trade. Since 1822 Bovet, now living in Canton, founds a partnership company for the China watch trade. Business booms, and the company quickly transfers production to Fleurier.
Sold
estimated
500—2.500 €
Price realized
1.700 €