Baillion à Paris

A FINE AND RARE GOLD MOUNTED SINGLE CASED PORCELAIN WATCH AND CHATELAINE ATTRIBUTED TO MEISSEN CIRCA 1755

• Movement: gilded full plate, verge escapement, decoratively pierced balance bridge engraved with scrolling foliage and the head of a dog and bird, silver regulation plate, square baluster pillars, fusee and chain, signed Baillion à Paris
• Dial: white enamel, Roman numerals, outer Arabic minute ring, gilt filigree hands, aperture for winding
• Case: porcelain attributed to Meissen, the back and bezel with polychrome enamel painted flowers, the inside back similarly painted with a moth, a ladybird and a fly, gold chased and engraved mounts
• Chatelaine: composed of four similarly decorated porcelain panels with polychrome painted flowers, each mounted within gold cartouches chased with scrolls and bunches of grapes, two pendant chains of similar form terminating in associated but contemporary English porcelain 'toys': to one side the figure of a boy (Cupid disguised) inscribed beneath 'pret a monter'; to the other a pair of porcelain billing doves inscribed beneath 'imitons les', the chatelaine backed with gilt-metal panels and pendant hook
width 48mm, length including chatelaine 205mm

Provenance:
Although the movement is signed Baillion à Paris, the movement may be of German manufacture.

The present chatelaine is unusual as the porcelain elements combine a Meissen case and plaquettes, painted with deutsche Blumen with contemporary English porcelain 'toys' in the form of billing doves and a Cupid disguised. These charms were produced at Chelsea, one of a small number of English factories who produced small luxury items such as scent-bottles and bonbonnières.