96th Auction
2017/11/18
Lot 384
Breguet & Fils, Case No. 2272, 51 mm, 121 g, circa 1810
A rare gold and enamel half quarter repeating pocket watch for the Ottoman market. According to certificate no. 4467 the watch was given to Monsieur Stefanaki on January 10th, 1811 - with Breguet certificate no. 4467
Case: 20k gold, polychrome enamel, signed dome, case maker's punch mark "JLJ" (Jolly). Dial: enamel, secret signature, Ottoman numerals. Movm.: bridge movement, keywind, 2 hammers / 2 gongs, standing barrel, ruby cylinder escapement, gold three-arm ring balance, shock protection-"parachute".
The back of the case is striking because of its lavish translucent red enamel ornamentation on engine-turned ground and the gold paillon borders with fine scrolls of vine leaves and grapes; the piece was produced for the Ottoman market. The case band is decorated with stylized Champlevé enamel flowers.
Breguet's concerted efforts from 1811 to establish a position in the market offered by the Ottoman empire took place against a background of crisis. Having had to resign himself to the loss of his British and Spanish sales, he now faced the abrupt disappearance of the Russian market. The firm's three most important outlets for foreign exports had simply been wiped out. Turkey, France's only remaining ally among the great powers, thus appeared as the obious candidate to take their place. It was strategy that seemed fairly sound, especially in view of two factors that Breguet could play to his advantage: firstly he had a good knowledge of the country, and secondly his choice of Leroy as his agent in Istanbul was a sensible one. Breguet's familarity with Turkey was due in large part to his 15-year friendship with the Ottoman ambassador Esseid Ali Effendi, who had arrived in Paris in 1797. After his return to Turkey he ordered ten watches, all repeating, as well as more modest commercial watches. Ali Effendi gave Breguet thorough guidelines regarding the appearance that his watches should have in order to be a success in Turkey. The dial should be in white enamel with Turkish numerals, while the case and outer case should be enamelled, possibly in red, and richly decorated. These items were either sold or presented as gifts to high dignitaries of the Ottoman empire.
Source: Montres Breguet S.A./Musée du Louvre "Breguet, an apogee of European watchmaking", Paris 2009, p. 130-134.
Knyaz Stefan Bogoridi, called Stefanaki Bey (Prince Stefanaki)
Stefan Bogoridi was born in Kotelor in 1775 and died in Istanbul on August 1, 1859. He was a high-ranking Ottoman statesman of Bulgarian origin, grandson of Sophronius of Vratsa and father of Alexander Bogoridi and Nicolae Vogoride. Stefan and his brother Athanase were named Bogoridi after Boris I, the first Christian ruler of Bulgaria (who was also known under the name Bogoris).
Born in Kotel, Bogoridi studied in the Greek-language Princely Academy in Bucharest, Wallachia, where he changed his Bulgarian name Stoyko for the Greek Ștefan. After finishing his studies, Bogoridi joined the Ottoman fleet as Dragoman and, under the command of Seid Mustafa Pasha (future Sultan Mustafa IV), took part in the Second Battle of Abukir against Napoleon Bonaparte in Egypt, making a miraculous escape after the defeat of the Ottoman forces.
In 1812, Stefan Bogoridi went to Moldavia with Prince Scarlat Callimachi, who appointed him governor of Galați (1812-1819). In 1821, during the local uprising of Tudor Vladimirescu and the invasion of Filiki Eteria as part of the Greek War of Independence, Bogoridi was nominal Caimacam of Wallachia; the following year, after the sweeping Ottoman offensive against Alexander Ypsilantis, he held the actual position of Caimacam in Moldavia 1822, and then returned as Dragoman of the Ottoman fleet. Between 1825 and 1828, he was exiled in Anatolia.
After the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829 and the Treaty of Adrianople, he was an advisor of Mahmud II, who gave him the title of prince (bey) and appointed him governor of the island of Samos. He visited Samos only once in 1839 and ruled the island from Istanbul. Bogoridi, who renamed the capital of the island Stefanopolis after himself, was hated by the local Greek population due to his arbitrary rule. The Samians revolved against him in 1849 and had the Sultan dismiss him in 1850.
Under Abdülmecid I, Bogoridi was a member of the Tanzimat Council and an imperial counsellor. He obtained permission from Abdülmecid for building a Bulgarian Orthodox church in Istanbul, and donated his house in Fener (1849). On that spot, the famous Bulgarian Iron church was later erected, and named Saint Stephen in memory of him. He died in Istanbul.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Bogoridi, as of 10/12/2017.
A rare gold and enamel half quarter repeating pocket watch for the Ottoman market. According to certificate no. 4467 the watch was given to Monsieur Stefanaki on January 10th, 1811 - with Breguet certificate no. 4467
Case: 20k gold, polychrome enamel, signed dome, case maker's punch mark "JLJ" (Jolly). Dial: enamel, secret signature, Ottoman numerals. Movm.: bridge movement, keywind, 2 hammers / 2 gongs, standing barrel, ruby cylinder escapement, gold three-arm ring balance, shock protection-"parachute".
The back of the case is striking because of its lavish translucent red enamel ornamentation on engine-turned ground and the gold paillon borders with fine scrolls of vine leaves and grapes; the piece was produced for the Ottoman market. The case band is decorated with stylized Champlevé enamel flowers.
Breguet's concerted efforts from 1811 to establish a position in the market offered by the Ottoman empire took place against a background of crisis. Having had to resign himself to the loss of his British and Spanish sales, he now faced the abrupt disappearance of the Russian market. The firm's three most important outlets for foreign exports had simply been wiped out. Turkey, France's only remaining ally among the great powers, thus appeared as the obious candidate to take their place. It was strategy that seemed fairly sound, especially in view of two factors that Breguet could play to his advantage: firstly he had a good knowledge of the country, and secondly his choice of Leroy as his agent in Istanbul was a sensible one. Breguet's familarity with Turkey was due in large part to his 15-year friendship with the Ottoman ambassador Esseid Ali Effendi, who had arrived in Paris in 1797. After his return to Turkey he ordered ten watches, all repeating, as well as more modest commercial watches. Ali Effendi gave Breguet thorough guidelines regarding the appearance that his watches should have in order to be a success in Turkey. The dial should be in white enamel with Turkish numerals, while the case and outer case should be enamelled, possibly in red, and richly decorated. These items were either sold or presented as gifts to high dignitaries of the Ottoman empire.
Source: Montres Breguet S.A./Musée du Louvre "Breguet, an apogee of European watchmaking", Paris 2009, p. 130-134.
Knyaz Stefan Bogoridi, called Stefanaki Bey (Prince Stefanaki)
Stefan Bogoridi was born in Kotelor in 1775 and died in Istanbul on August 1, 1859. He was a high-ranking Ottoman statesman of Bulgarian origin, grandson of Sophronius of Vratsa and father of Alexander Bogoridi and Nicolae Vogoride. Stefan and his brother Athanase were named Bogoridi after Boris I, the first Christian ruler of Bulgaria (who was also known under the name Bogoris).
Born in Kotel, Bogoridi studied in the Greek-language Princely Academy in Bucharest, Wallachia, where he changed his Bulgarian name Stoyko for the Greek Ștefan. After finishing his studies, Bogoridi joined the Ottoman fleet as Dragoman and, under the command of Seid Mustafa Pasha (future Sultan Mustafa IV), took part in the Second Battle of Abukir against Napoleon Bonaparte in Egypt, making a miraculous escape after the defeat of the Ottoman forces.
In 1812, Stefan Bogoridi went to Moldavia with Prince Scarlat Callimachi, who appointed him governor of Galați (1812-1819). In 1821, during the local uprising of Tudor Vladimirescu and the invasion of Filiki Eteria as part of the Greek War of Independence, Bogoridi was nominal Caimacam of Wallachia; the following year, after the sweeping Ottoman offensive against Alexander Ypsilantis, he held the actual position of Caimacam in Moldavia 1822, and then returned as Dragoman of the Ottoman fleet. Between 1825 and 1828, he was exiled in Anatolia.
After the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829 and the Treaty of Adrianople, he was an advisor of Mahmud II, who gave him the title of prince (bey) and appointed him governor of the island of Samos. He visited Samos only once in 1839 and ruled the island from Istanbul. Bogoridi, who renamed the capital of the island Stefanopolis after himself, was hated by the local Greek population due to his arbitrary rule. The Samians revolved against him in 1849 and had the Sultan dismiss him in 1850.
Under Abdülmecid I, Bogoridi was a member of the Tanzimat Council and an imperial counsellor. He obtained permission from Abdülmecid for building a Bulgarian Orthodox church in Istanbul, and donated his house in Fener (1849). On that spot, the famous Bulgarian Iron church was later erected, and named Saint Stephen in memory of him. He died in Istanbul.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Bogoridi, as of 10/12/2017.
Sold
estimated
20.000—50.000 €
Price realized
24.800 €