Lot 404

Benjamin Gray / Justin Vulliamy, London, Movement "xox", 48 mm, 135 g, circa 1759
A quarter repeating gold enamel pair-cased pocket watch with cylinder escapement of museum quality with a very fine matching gold chatelaine with painted on enamel plaques "The Continence of Scipio"
Case: outer case - 22k gold, polychrome enamel, case maker's punch mark "PM" (Peter Mounier of Frith Street, Soho, London). Inner case - 22K gold, rear bell, movement protection cap. Chatelaine - gold/gilt, polychrome enamel. Dial: enamel. Movm.: fine full plate movement, keywind, chain/fusee, 2 hammers, three-arm steel balance.
This fine ensemble is exquisitely painted in vivid colours and shows several scenes from the life of Scipio Africanus. The sides of the inner and outer cases are open-worked with volute and foliage decoration; the outer case has a large diamond pusher. The chatelaine is made of three different-sized cartouche-shaped painted enamel tablets in fine volute-ornamented frames; its overall length is 135 mm.
Justin Vulliamy (1712-1797)
Renowned in London as an excellent watchmaker, the Swiss-born Vulliamy went into partnership with Benjamin Gray (1676-1764), watchmaker for King George II, in 1730. After Gray's death in 1764 Vulliamy continued his business by himself.
Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Vulliamy, as of 07/31/2013.
The above mentioned casemaker Peter Mounier of Frith Street, Soho, London, worked closely together with George Michael Moser (1706-1783). A comparable watch by George Graham dating from 1752-1753 is decorated with the same enamel scene and signed "(G.) M. Moser Fecit". The chased ornamentation and the enamel work are very similar to the one we have here. The watch is owned by the Swiss National Museum in Zurich (inventory no. 49072) and illustrated in "The Art of the Gold Chaser in Eighteenth-Century London" by Richard Edgcumbe, Oxford 2000, illus. 88. On page 106, Edgcumbe mentions the existence of the present lot: "Enamelled versions of the scene, which differ in some respects, are found on B. Gray, J. Vulliamy xox, and a watch by Justin Vulliamy". Another variation of the motif was used in the plans for a box lid signed "G M: Moser F" (see illus. 88c). The figural scene is inspired by a painting of Dutch artist Gerard de Lairesse (Liège 1640-1711 Amsterdam). It is likely that Moser’s interpretation of the theme - with the eye-catching female figure in the centre - had some influence on other artists.
George Michael Moser (1706-1783) was born in Schaffhausen on January 17, 1706. He studied chasing and gilding under his father Michael, a coppersmith. He moved to London in 1726 and worked for John Valentine Haidt, goldsmith and watch chaser. By 1737 he was working on his own account at Craven Buildings off Drury Lane. In addition to chasing he also produced fine enamel cases of which only about twenty are known to survive. He designed the great seal of George III and painted enamel portraits of the royal children for Queen Charlotte. In the 1740's Moser became a leading figure at the St Martins Lane Academy and later, in 1769 he became the first Keeper of the Royal Academy. His repoussé watch case work is among the finest to be found. Moser continued to work at least until the late 1770's, and was active for the Royal Academy until the end of his life. On January 30, 1783, the "Gentleman's Magazine" reported that Moser "was followed to his grave in grand funeral pomp by all the capital artists, Sir Joshua Reynolds at their head as chief mourner, Sir William Chambers, etc. Ten mourning coaches, besides two gentlemen's coaches, were in the procession".
In The Art of the Gold Chaser in Eighteenth-Century London, Richard Edgcumbe devotes over 40 pages of text to Moser's work in addition to the many illustrations included.
The Continence of Scipio was a popular subject and regularly used in the fine arts as well as in literature and music.
The scenes describe some events in the life of Roman general Scipio Africanus during his Spanish campaign in the Second Punic War as told by Roman historian Livius.
Scipio refused to accept a generous ransom payment for his young female captive and returned her to her betrothed, Celtiberian Prince Allucius; in return Scipio only asked the prince for his support to the Roman armies.
In recognition of his noble treatment of captives Scipio Africanus was often cited as an example of generosity in classical subjects.