96th Auction
2017/11/18
Lot 115
Ilbery, London, Movement No. 6350, 59 mm, 156 g, circa 1810
A large and rare gold enamel pocket watch for the Chinese market
Case: 18k gold, polychrome enamel, florally engraved gold dome. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement according to Lepine, keywind, gilt, florally engraved, standing barrel, duplex escapement, bimetallic three-arm balance with three screws and three screwed weights.
Pendant and stem as well as the bezels on front and back are decorated with champlevé enamel in red, blue, white and black. The back has a horizontal oval enamel medallion framed by opaque black and translucent cobalt-blue enamel over engine-turning and a champlevé border. The exquisitely painted miniature shows four children blowing soap bubbles. We sold two gold and enamel boxes painted with a similar motif and created by the same artist in our 85th auction in May 2012 as lot number 409. The enamel work on these boxes was carried out by Bautte & Cie. in Geneva.
William Ilbery (circa 1760-1839) began working in London's Goswell Street in 1780 and moved to Duncan Terrace later. Influenced by the examples of James Cox in London and Pierre Jaquet-Droz in Switzerland, Ilbery specialized in producing luxury watches for the Chinese Market. At first he very much adhered to the traditional English style with its full plate movement and duplex escapement. For later movements Ilbery took his inspiration from the Lepine caliber with free-standing barrel, as did Jaquet-Droz with the watches he signed in London and William Anthony in London. Ilbery had the cases of his watches exquisitely decorated by the best enamellers from Geneva such as Jean-Francois-Victor Dupont or Jean-Louis Richter. William Ilbery initiated the production of opulently engraved movements for the Asian market in Fleurier in Switzerland; other makers in Fleurier such as Bovet and Juvet followed his example. Ilbery should therefore be considered one of the most renowned makers of the so-called "Chinese watches". Although he worked mainly in London, Ilbery kept in close contact with the trade in other countries; a watch signed "Ilbery Paris" is known and Ilbery & Son are recorded in London and Fleurier as well as in Canton.
A large and rare gold enamel pocket watch for the Chinese market
Case: 18k gold, polychrome enamel, florally engraved gold dome. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement according to Lepine, keywind, gilt, florally engraved, standing barrel, duplex escapement, bimetallic three-arm balance with three screws and three screwed weights.
Pendant and stem as well as the bezels on front and back are decorated with champlevé enamel in red, blue, white and black. The back has a horizontal oval enamel medallion framed by opaque black and translucent cobalt-blue enamel over engine-turning and a champlevé border. The exquisitely painted miniature shows four children blowing soap bubbles. We sold two gold and enamel boxes painted with a similar motif and created by the same artist in our 85th auction in May 2012 as lot number 409. The enamel work on these boxes was carried out by Bautte & Cie. in Geneva.
William Ilbery (circa 1760-1839) began working in London's Goswell Street in 1780 and moved to Duncan Terrace later. Influenced by the examples of James Cox in London and Pierre Jaquet-Droz in Switzerland, Ilbery specialized in producing luxury watches for the Chinese Market. At first he very much adhered to the traditional English style with its full plate movement and duplex escapement. For later movements Ilbery took his inspiration from the Lepine caliber with free-standing barrel, as did Jaquet-Droz with the watches he signed in London and William Anthony in London. Ilbery had the cases of his watches exquisitely decorated by the best enamellers from Geneva such as Jean-Francois-Victor Dupont or Jean-Louis Richter. William Ilbery initiated the production of opulently engraved movements for the Asian market in Fleurier in Switzerland; other makers in Fleurier such as Bovet and Juvet followed his example. Ilbery should therefore be considered one of the most renowned makers of the so-called "Chinese watches". Although he worked mainly in London, Ilbery kept in close contact with the trade in other countries; a watch signed "Ilbery Paris" is known and Ilbery & Son are recorded in London and Fleurier as well as in Canton.
Sold
estimated
55.000—80.000 €
Price realized
64.800 €