Minerva und Apoll An important, small, one-handed gold and enamel verge pocket watch...
Gehäuse
Gold and polychrome enamel, delicate gold bezel decoratively engraved with stylised leaves.|Very good.
Zifferblatt
White enamel chapter-ring with black Roman numerals and half-hour divisions, the centre with translucent green enamel against a chiselled ground, framed by a red floral wreath, which is repeated on the case; single blued-steel hand with turned button ends.|Very good.
Werk
Full plate movement, gilt, fusee with early chain, worm-and-wheel set-up, verge escapement with plain steel balance without spring, pierced balance cock, ratchet wheel set up with blued steel spring.|Very good, capable of running, cleaning recommended.
dimension:33 mm
circa:1660
weight:27
country:France/Switzerland
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The back is framed by a raised border of pastel-coloured relief flowers and tendrils; it is separated from the central oval cartouche by a border which is - similar to the dial - created with translucent green enamel over an ornamental ground with round engraved pattern. The centre shows a polychrome pointilism style portrait of Minerva wearing a magnificent plumed headdress; the painting is framed by a knurled border. The inside of the case is also decorated with a polychrome portrait showing Apollo, god of the sun also with feather-decorated headdress against a light blue background. The inside portrait is a famous representation of King Louis XIV. who appeared as sun god Apollo during the ballet de la Nuit performance at court in 1653.Only some few watch cases with a similar design as this piece, with enamel work attributed to Pierre Huaud I. (1612-1680), but also to his son Pierre Huaud II. (1647-1698) and Jean-Pierre (1655-1723).The Dr. E. Gschwind collection at the Kirschgarten Museum in Basel has a similarly designed case with a later signet attributed to Pierre Huaud I.. The technique and the colours are remarkably similar to this watch.To date there appears to be only one watch case actually signed by Pierre Huaud I; this is the watch in the form of a cross, which is also preserved in the Dr. E. Gschwind collection at the Kirschgarten Museum in Basel.Another almost identical watch with a movement by Denis Bordier (1629-1708) was sold at Sotheby's in Geneva on November 11, 2019, as Lot 12. The enamel painting was attributed to Pierre Huaud II..A watch with a nearly identical design as this one with a movement by Jean-Baptiste Duboule is part of the collection at the Patek Philippe museums. It is attributed to the brother of Pierre Huaud II., Jean-Pierre and is also decorated with Minerva on the case back and a figure wearing a plumed helmet on the inside (see: P. Friess, Patek Philippe Museum, Vol. Ill, Inv. P.130 p. 202).There are many typical attibuted that define the work of Pierre Huaud I (1612-1680):a) Small flowers as minor or major decorationb) Use of turquoise enamel as a ground colourc) Translucent green or blue enamel on guilloche groundd) Occasional use of an "en plein" or a high relief enamel grounde) champleve opaque or translucent enamel within an engraved field. In addition he appears to have frequently used a vivid orange pigment, and to have favoured a border or framing in black and white around some of the subjects.A definite attribution of the work to the individual members of the Huaud family is only possible through the name and data of the watchmaker who created the piece.Isaac Gradelle, the maker of this watch is French. G. H. Baillie and Brian Loomes mention him as watchmaker in the first half of the 17th century. A square pendant watch with gilt silver case, identical tulip ornamentation and identical movement signed Isaac Gradelle, was created circa 1640/1650 and resides today at the Museum Kellenberger in Winterthur. The watch is on permanent loan from the Collection Oscar Schwank; it is illustrated and described on page 55 of "Zeit der kleinen Uhren - Sammlung Oscar Schwank", Uhren-Sammlung Kellenberger, Winterthur 2012.With regard to the data and the similarity to other timepieces by Gradelle, the enamel painting of this watch can clearly be attributed to Pierre Huaud I. (1612-1680).Provenance:Sotheby's Geneva, 10. May 2009, Lot 108, described there as "Isaac Gravelle".
Bid on this lot
Gehäuse
Gold and polychrome enamel, delicate gold bezel decoratively engraved with stylised leaves.|Very good.
Zifferblatt
White enamel chapter-ring with black Roman numerals and half-hour divisions, the centre with translucent green enamel against a chiselled ground, framed by a red floral wreath, which is repeated on the case; single blued-steel hand with turned button ends.|Very good.
Werk
Full plate movement, gilt, fusee with early chain, worm-and-wheel set-up, verge escapement with plain steel balance without spring, pierced balance cock, ratchet wheel set up with blued steel spring.|Very good, capable of running, cleaning recommended.
dimension:33 mm
circa:1660
weight:27
country:France/Switzerland
originalbox:
originalcertificate:
guaranteecard:
servicecard:
extract:
accessories:
clasp:
The back is framed by a raised border of pastel-coloured relief flowers and tendrils; it is separated from the central oval cartouche by a border which is - similar to the dial - created with translucent green enamel over an ornamental ground with round engraved pattern. The centre shows a polychrome pointilism style portrait of Minerva wearing a magnificent plumed headdress; the painting is framed by a knurled border. The inside of the case is also decorated with a polychrome portrait showing Apollo, god of the sun also with feather-decorated headdress against a light blue background. The inside portrait is a famous representation of King Louis XIV. who appeared as sun god Apollo during the ballet de la Nuit performance at court in 1653.Only some few watch cases with a similar design as this piece, with enamel work attributed to Pierre Huaud I. (1612-1680), but also to his son Pierre Huaud II. (1647-1698) and Jean-Pierre (1655-1723).The Dr. E. Gschwind collection at the Kirschgarten Museum in Basel has a similarly designed case with a later signet attributed to Pierre Huaud I.. The technique and the colours are remarkably similar to this watch.To date there appears to be only one watch case actually signed by Pierre Huaud I; this is the watch in the form of a cross, which is also preserved in the Dr. E. Gschwind collection at the Kirschgarten Museum in Basel.Another almost identical watch with a movement by Denis Bordier (1629-1708) was sold at Sotheby's in Geneva on November 11, 2019, as Lot 12. The enamel painting was attributed to Pierre Huaud II..A watch with a nearly identical design as this one with a movement by Jean-Baptiste Duboule is part of the collection at the Patek Philippe museums. It is attributed to the brother of Pierre Huaud II., Jean-Pierre and is also decorated with Minerva on the case back and a figure wearing a plumed helmet on the inside (see: P. Friess, Patek Philippe Museum, Vol. Ill, Inv. P.130 p. 202).There are many typical attibuted that define the work of Pierre Huaud I (1612-1680):a) Small flowers as minor or major decorationb) Use of turquoise enamel as a ground colourc) Translucent green or blue enamel on guilloche groundd) Occasional use of an "en plein" or a high relief enamel grounde) champleve opaque or translucent enamel within an engraved field. In addition he appears to have frequently used a vivid orange pigment, and to have favoured a border or framing in black and white around some of the subjects.A definite attribution of the work to the individual members of the Huaud family is only possible through the name and data of the watchmaker who created the piece.Isaac Gradelle, the maker of this watch is French. G. H. Baillie and Brian Loomes mention him as watchmaker in the first half of the 17th century. A square pendant watch with gilt silver case, identical tulip ornamentation and identical movement signed Isaac Gradelle, was created circa 1640/1650 and resides today at the Museum Kellenberger in Winterthur. The watch is on permanent loan from the Collection Oscar Schwank; it is illustrated and described on page 55 of "Zeit der kleinen Uhren - Sammlung Oscar Schwank", Uhren-Sammlung Kellenberger, Winterthur 2012.With regard to the data and the similarity to other timepieces by Gradelle, the enamel painting of this watch can clearly be attributed to Pierre Huaud I. (1612-1680).Provenance:Sotheby's Geneva, 10. May 2009, Lot 108, described there as "Isaac Gravelle".
