98th Auction
2018/11/10
Lot 65
Ilbery, London, Movement No. 6865, 57 mm, 139 g, circa 1820
A gold enamel pocket watch of museum quality, with auxiliary seconds and studded with half pearls, made for the Chinese market; enamelling attributed to Jean-Francois-Victor Dupont in Geneva
Case: 18k gold, polychrome enamel, half pearls. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement according to Lepine, keywind, gilt, florally engraved, standing barrel, duplex escapement, five-arm steel balance
Both sides of pendant, stem, bow and both bezels are embellished with lustrous split pearls. The back is decorated with a delicately painted enamel medallion in a Champlevé frame of flowers and leaves in opaque black and translucent red and green enamel. The exquisite miniature shows two youngsters feeding a rooster in a cage.
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.
Jean-Francois-Victor Dupont (1785-1863) worked in Geneva and can be considered the finest enamel painter of his time. His work includes portraits of the most distinguished figures such as King George IV, Henry VI and many others; Dupont also created boxes and watches which were destined for the Chinese Market in particular. For these watches he cooperated with Ilbery as well as with Piguet & Meylan. He used a most distinctive colour range which is most likely due to the fact that he mixed his own colours, as did most of the master enamel painters. Dupont's ability to paint a group of figures posed in the same plane without giving an impression of overcrowding stands out in his works. He also highlighted the expression of the characters in a particular way which gives the viewer the impression that he is involved in the scene himself.
Dupont frequently only signed what he considered his best works, which is probably the reason for the fact that only very few watches with enamel painting are known to bear his signature.
A gold enamel pocket watch of museum quality, with auxiliary seconds and studded with half pearls, made for the Chinese market; enamelling attributed to Jean-Francois-Victor Dupont in Geneva
Case: 18k gold, polychrome enamel, half pearls. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement according to Lepine, keywind, gilt, florally engraved, standing barrel, duplex escapement, five-arm steel balance
Both sides of pendant, stem, bow and both bezels are embellished with lustrous split pearls. The back is decorated with a delicately painted enamel medallion in a Champlevé frame of flowers and leaves in opaque black and translucent red and green enamel. The exquisite miniature shows two youngsters feeding a rooster in a cage.
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.
Jean-Francois-Victor Dupont (1785-1863) worked in Geneva and can be considered the finest enamel painter of his time. His work includes portraits of the most distinguished figures such as King George IV, Henry VI and many others; Dupont also created boxes and watches which were destined for the Chinese Market in particular. For these watches he cooperated with Ilbery as well as with Piguet & Meylan. He used a most distinctive colour range which is most likely due to the fact that he mixed his own colours, as did most of the master enamel painters. Dupont's ability to paint a group of figures posed in the same plane without giving an impression of overcrowding stands out in his works. He also highlighted the expression of the characters in a particular way which gives the viewer the impression that he is involved in the scene himself.
Dupont frequently only signed what he considered his best works, which is probably the reason for the fact that only very few watches with enamel painting are known to bear his signature.
Sold
estimated
24.000—40.000 €
Price realized
31.000 €