109th Auction
2023/11/18
Lot 110
Anonymous
A very fine and extremely rare pair-cased miniature verge pocket watch of museum quality with Japanese toki indexes
Sold
estimated
10.000—15.000 €
Price realized
3.500 €
specific features
Case
Outer case - 18 K gold, smooth. Inner case - 18 K gold, smooth.
Dial
Gold, applied silvered movable toki indexes, blued hands for hour and minute indication.
Movement
Full plate movement, Japanese signature, chain/fusee, three-arm brass balance.
Diam.25 mm
Circa1760
Ctry.Japan
Wt.21 g
This delightful tiny verge pocket watch in a double case has a diameter of 25 mm only ( with an inner case of only 22 mm) and weighs 21 g. The piece was created at a time when European art took its inspiration from Asian art. The gold dial features 12 adjustable toki markers with two sets of inlaid Japanese numerals 4-9. Japanese clocks count the hours from midday to midnight backwards from 9 to 4. The toki markers sit on a revolving disc and adjust according to sunrise and sunset times during the year. They are indicated by a single fixed hand. This miniature timepiece has two mobile hands to indicate hours and minutes, as is custom in Europe.