95th Auction

2017/5/6

Lot 126

Les Fréres Esquivillon & DeChoudens, Genève, Movement No. 73574, Case No. 73574, 53 mm, 90 g, circa 1790
An exquisite gold enamel verge pocket watch studded with half pearls "La Fontaine D'Amour" in a gilt protective outer case
Case: 18k gold/polychrome enamel/split pearls. Dial: enamel. Movm.: full plate movement, chain/fusee, verge escapement, three-arm brass balance.
The back of this charming pocket watch is decorated with an exquisite polychrome enamel medallion. A fine enamel miniature against a lavishly engine-turned background with translucent light blue enameling shows a scene after the painting "La Fontaine D'Amour" by Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806): a couple rushes to the fountain of love. In our 85th auction on May 12, 2012 we already had a pocket watch signed Gaudy à Paris with a nearly identical motif (lot 144) as well as another pocket watch signed Chevalier & Comp. à Gèneve in our 94th auction (lot 92) that was sold for 53,000 euros. A gold and enamel snuff box with the same motif by Guidon, Gide & Blondet à Genève was presented during our 88th auction on November 16 (lot 246). Unfortunately we do not know the names of the fine emailleurs who created these striking works of art; the appreciation of their skills, however, has persisted through time and is is proven by the loving care these pieces were treated and passed through the generations with.
Esquivillon & De Choudens
Geneva watchmaker Jacques Dechoudens (1728-1801) and brothers Joseph Esquivillon (1714-1798), Jean François Esquivillon (1733-1813) and Gédéon-François Esquivillon (1717-1799) founded a workshop which produced high quality verge pocket watches.
Source: "Esquivillon & De Choudens", http://wansor.vs120138.hl-users.com/Uhrenseite/unten_port_allg_schweiz.php, as of 02/28/2011

estimated
25.00030.000 €
Price realized
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