David Rousseau & P. Huaud à Genève

A FINE, RARE AND SMALL GOLD VERGE WATCH WITH POLYCHROME ENAMEL PAINTED CASE SIGNED P. HUAUD FECIT CIRCA 1685

• Movement: gilded full plate, verge escapement, plain flat two-arm steel balance, worm and wheel set-up with blued steel scrolling brackets, finely pierced and decoratively engraved screwed-on balance cock with long foot, fusee and gut line, flat pillars each faced with a silver lion rampant, signed David Rousseau A Genève
• Dial: white enamel chapter ring, the centre with polychrome enamel painted scene depicting Venus & Adonis, blued steel hand
• Case: gold, the back with polychrome enamel painted portrait of a bewigged gentleman bordered with a wreath incorporating banners to the base signed P. Huaud, Fecit further banner to the top signed Genève, the case sides with four polychrome enamel painted pastoral vignettes, each separated by monochromatic flowers, gold bezel with geometric engraving and split for glass retention, the inside back with polychrome enamel painted classical landscape with buildings and figures beside a lake, plain ring pendant
diameter 30.5mm

Provenance:
The vibrant enamel work of the Huaud Frères has long been admired and today the Huauds are considered as the best known and most prolific family of enamellers of their time. The father, Pierre Huaud I (1612 -1680), was a Protestant of French origin who moved to Geneva where he became an inhabitant in 1630. He finished his apprenticeship as a goldsmith with Laurent Légaré in 1634 and soon after became a Master Goldsmith. His three sons also became enamel painters: Pierre II (1647-c.1698), Jean-Pierre (1655-1723) and the younger brother Ami (1657-1729) were appointed enamel painters by the Brandenburg Elector Frederick III. The portrait to the case back of the present watch appears to be that of a German prince or aristocrat which would suggest the artist is Pierre Huaud II. Huaud II travelled to Berlin in 1685 to work for the Elector of Brandenburg and it is possible that he died in Berlin in 1698. Pierre Huaud II signed his cases in various forms, usually including the word aisné or Mayor Natus to signify his position as the eldest child. The signature on this case, 'P. Huaud fecit', appears to be very rare. Another example which is now fitted with a late purpose made movement was sold at Antiquorum Geneva in April 2002 (lot 453). Common to both examples, and indeed to a number of watches bearing his unusual form of signature is the use of black enamel decoration on a white ground at the cardinal points of the case band. Another enamel watch case with a portrait of Frederick Wilhelm, the Great Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia is preserved at the Metropolitan Museum, New York and was part of the J. Pierpont Morgan bequest in 1917. The enamel is signed by Jean-Pierre Huaud, younger brother of Pierre II and painter to the Elector from 1686-1700. In view of the brothers being contemporaneously employed by the court, there is the logical possibility that they worked together on commissions.

David Rousseau (1641-1738) was from a family dynasty of watchmakers, goldsmiths and lapidaries and he is especially well known for his form watches, examples of which included skulls, tulips and flowers. Enamel cases with movements by Rousseau are particularly rare yet given his long career, he would have been working during the period in which the Huaud family were at their most productive.