107th Auction

2022/11/19

Lot 254

Chaudoir

A magnificent Geneva quarter repeating verge pocket watch with two jacquemarts and concealed erotic automaton "à trois couleurs"

Sold

estimated
4.50010.000 €
Price realized
9.400 €
specific features
Case
18 K pink gold.
Dial
Enamel, three-colour gold, skeletonized, visible mirror-polished rack strike.
Movement
Full plate movement, keywind, chain/fusee, 2 hammers, 2 gongs, three-arm brass balance.
Case no.510
Diam.58 mm
Circa1800
Ctry.Switzerland
Wt.142 g


The two Jacquemarts, a man and a woman in three-colour gold period garments, strike the hours with their hammers on two large bells that are visible in the upper half of the dial. The centre of the dial has a small enamel chapter ring with Arabic hours. The concealed automaton at "6" has small sliding doors of blued steel decorated with a chased three-colour gold image of Cupid; the doors open whenever the repeater is activated and the erotic scene comes to life: a couple making love on a Recamier sofa.


Chaudoir is known and recorded as a maker in Geneva together with his partner Patry, from 1791 to 1795.