Lot 412

Peacock

A very fine neoclassical gold enamel pair-cased pocket watch with enamel painting "en grisaille" dedicated to Augustin Toussaint

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On the back of the outer case is an oval enamel plaque with miniature painting "en grisaille" on a brown enamel background, which was a popular decoration especially in London in the late 18th century. It depicts Flora, the goddess of flowers, decorating a vase. The oval is framed by a delicate white enamelled champlevé border, which is repeated in the bezels on the front and back, and is surrounded by beautifully shaped tendrils and volutes in gold on translucent cobalt blue enamel over an engine-turned ground.

Augustin Toussaint was the son of Louis Toussaint, a London based jeweller and enameller. Augustin began his apprenticeship as an enamel painter with London’s most famous enameller and chaser George Michael Moser in 1768, for a fee of no less than 200 guineas.
Augustin Toussaint soon gained the same excellent reputation as his teacher. His work was exhibited in the Royal Academy from 1775 to 1788 and can also be seen on the timekeepers produced by other renowned London masters.