96th Auction
2017/11/18
Lot 697
Charles Bertrand, Horloger de l'Academie Royale des Sciences à Paris, Movement No. 1471, Case No. 293, 55 mm, 115 g, circa 1787/1788
A silver, gold and enamel hunting case pocket watch with verge escapement and date made during the French revolutionary period. The case was made by Jean-Louis-Gabriel Gillet, the main spring is signed and dated "Monginos, Janvier 1788".
Case: silver, pink gold, enamel. Case maker's punch mark "JLG" (Jean-Louis-Gabriel Gillet), charge mark crossed double "L": Henri Clavel (1783-1789), Parisian guild punch mark "P87" of 1787. Dial: enamel. Movm.: full plate movement, chain/fusee, three-arm brass balance.
Both spring lids are decorated with radial engine-turning and translucent cobalt blue enamelling. The front shows a stylised red gold baroque-style initial M, the back has a corresponding A. White enamel dial with Arabic numerals and a 31-day date that is offset towards the inside.
Whether the initials M and A stand for Marie Antionette cannot be verified.
Very unusual though is the fact that the rather plain silver case (which is typical for cases made during this period) has been decorated with fine gold bands and gold Champlevé enamel. The watch was created by a renowned watchmaker of the Royal Academy and does not bear any extravagant ornamentation; the initials and some of the borders, however, were made of gold. Likewise, the use of a closed hunting case is uncommon and very rare for pieces created in that period of time.
Charles Bertrand, a well-known watchmaker to the French Academy of Sciences, is known for having made equation clocks and other complicated timepieces. Jean-Louis-Gabriel Gillet was a master casemaker. At the time of Bertrand's death, he was owed 13,000 livres.
A silver, gold and enamel hunting case pocket watch with verge escapement and date made during the French revolutionary period. The case was made by Jean-Louis-Gabriel Gillet, the main spring is signed and dated "Monginos, Janvier 1788".
Case: silver, pink gold, enamel. Case maker's punch mark "JLG" (Jean-Louis-Gabriel Gillet), charge mark crossed double "L": Henri Clavel (1783-1789), Parisian guild punch mark "P87" of 1787. Dial: enamel. Movm.: full plate movement, chain/fusee, three-arm brass balance.
Both spring lids are decorated with radial engine-turning and translucent cobalt blue enamelling. The front shows a stylised red gold baroque-style initial M, the back has a corresponding A. White enamel dial with Arabic numerals and a 31-day date that is offset towards the inside.
Whether the initials M and A stand for Marie Antionette cannot be verified.
Very unusual though is the fact that the rather plain silver case (which is typical for cases made during this period) has been decorated with fine gold bands and gold Champlevé enamel. The watch was created by a renowned watchmaker of the Royal Academy and does not bear any extravagant ornamentation; the initials and some of the borders, however, were made of gold. Likewise, the use of a closed hunting case is uncommon and very rare for pieces created in that period of time.
Charles Bertrand, a well-known watchmaker to the French Academy of Sciences, is known for having made equation clocks and other complicated timepieces. Jean-Louis-Gabriel Gillet was a master casemaker. At the time of Bertrand's death, he was owed 13,000 livres.
Sold
estimated
10.000—20.000 €
Price realized
18.600 €