95th Auction
2017/5/6
Lot 110
Ray & Montague, London, Movement No. 2026, 32 mm, 43 g, circa 1818
A remarkable pair-cased miniature gold enamel verge pocket watch for the Ottoman market
Case: outer case - 18K gold/polychrome enamel. Inner case - 18K gold. Dial: enamel. Movm.: full plate movement, chain/fusee, three-arm steel balance.
The outer case of this delicate and extremely rare gold and enamel verge pocket watch has a wavy rim, which is decorated with Champlevé enamel flowers on the inside.
The back has a central translucent red cartouche with a bouquet of summer flowers against an engine-turned ground; it is surrounded by opaque borders with patterns of green, white and light blue enameling with red flowers that are repeated on the front.
Both cases bear the casemaker’s mark AN and were created by goldsmith Augustus Newman in 7 Plumptree Street, Bloomsbury, London; his mark first appears on November 4, 1813.
The Movement as well as case design of these watches intended for the Turkish market were already outmoded around 1810 - and even more so in later years; nevertheless Edward Prior and some of his contemporaries such as George Prior (II), George Charle, Markwick Markham-Perigal and Isaac Rogers specialized on this type of watch because there was a ongoing demand for them on the Turkish market - be it from tradition or from a true love of the elaborately ornamented movements and cases. It is quite possible that many of these watches - the one we have here is among them - never even left England, because their exotic beauty had its devotees in their own country too. Very often these buyers kept the watch safely in a drawer like jewellery, which explains the mint condition of some of these marvellous pieces.
Renowned goldsmiths and jewellers John Ray and James Montague of 22 Denmark Street in Soho worked as partners from 1800 to 1821 and specialised in ceremonial swords, gaming tiles and other objects.
A remarkable pair-cased miniature gold enamel verge pocket watch for the Ottoman market
Case: outer case - 18K gold/polychrome enamel. Inner case - 18K gold. Dial: enamel. Movm.: full plate movement, chain/fusee, three-arm steel balance.
The outer case of this delicate and extremely rare gold and enamel verge pocket watch has a wavy rim, which is decorated with Champlevé enamel flowers on the inside.
The back has a central translucent red cartouche with a bouquet of summer flowers against an engine-turned ground; it is surrounded by opaque borders with patterns of green, white and light blue enameling with red flowers that are repeated on the front.
Both cases bear the casemaker’s mark AN and were created by goldsmith Augustus Newman in 7 Plumptree Street, Bloomsbury, London; his mark first appears on November 4, 1813.
The Movement as well as case design of these watches intended for the Turkish market were already outmoded around 1810 - and even more so in later years; nevertheless Edward Prior and some of his contemporaries such as George Prior (II), George Charle, Markwick Markham-Perigal and Isaac Rogers specialized on this type of watch because there was a ongoing demand for them on the Turkish market - be it from tradition or from a true love of the elaborately ornamented movements and cases. It is quite possible that many of these watches - the one we have here is among them - never even left England, because their exotic beauty had its devotees in their own country too. Very often these buyers kept the watch safely in a drawer like jewellery, which explains the mint condition of some of these marvellous pieces.
Renowned goldsmiths and jewellers John Ray and James Montague of 22 Denmark Street in Soho worked as partners from 1800 to 1821 and specialised in ceremonial swords, gaming tiles and other objects.
estimated
6.500—9.500 €
Price realized
-