Directors of Antiquorum Geneva, Etienne Leménager and Julien Schaerer, can be proud of having found this treasure made of various enamel antique pieces, for some of museum quality. For a long time, Geneva’s bi-annual auctions in May and November did not have such an opportunity to show a strong concentration of exceptional pieces in the field of fantasy watches, enamels and automatons.

If wristwatches often make up most of auction entries in watch catalogues, it is important to put back the historical background of watches with such rare pieces which reminds us of all these great collections at auction, such as precious collections from King Farouk at Sotheby’s in 1954 and Lord Sandberg at Antiquorum in 2001. It is a fact, enameled watches made in Geneva at the turn of the 19th century are a delight for the expert’s eye.

No doubt that this collection attracted at once « the expert’s eye » what led me quite naturally to take my pen to give you my first impressions on its real impact and importance through all its emblematic pieces. The last example as I recall was the private collection sold through Antiquorum on October 11th, 2003 in Geneva, in which also one of the famous Neapolitan Mandolin appeared, of the only two known pairs, made for the Chinese market.

If the reappearance on the market of one the Neapolitan Mandolin was an event at the time, undoubtedly this time both Neapolitan Mandolin appearing in this collection are the key highlights of this next auction coming up in Geneva. Originally, these two mandolins were made in pair for the Chinese market, both being separated by time only the miracle of auction could bring us the pleasure of seeing the two missing ones, like a mirror image of the past.

Both with translucent enamel, one of them in green of which the sister is now in the Wilsdorf Collection at Rolex, the other one in red of which the sister is now exhibited at the Patek Philippe Museum, it is a unique occasion for both curators to reunite them together again. If we look at the importance of these two works of art both from a technical and aesthetic point of view, it will most surely attract one keen collector’s eye.

These two mandolins surprise us by their dimensions, each one measuring 13 cm which is unique and never seen in any other fantasy watches of smaller dimensions usually. Beyond their magnificent ornamental aspect with this translucent enamel of lively colors set with pearls, each one shelters in its center part a watch dial surmounted by a seesaw automaton, the mechanism with quarter repeater and playing the music, signed by Piguet & Meylan circa 1820.

If the city of Geneva is the heart of production for fantasy watches under various forms, going from fruits to musical instruments shaped watches, the name Piguet & Meylan is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious, combining different Métiers d’Arts. From an historical point of view, these two mandolins can be considered as the true masterpieces of fantasy watches.

Therefor it is not surprising to see their estimate value comprised between 1 to 2 million CHF, which is near half of the value of the whole collection estimated around 4 to 6 million CHF. A conservative estimate for a private collection never seen before on the market, always staying out of sight for several decades, the only mention being stated in Antiquorum Vox of 2003.

If my attention was attracted by these two exceptional pieces, one should not forget the rest of the collection made of approximately 80 pieces with many variants in the field of enamels and automatons. We took as an example some specific pieces that perfectly illustrate all these horological works of art while giving us a homogeneous overview from the diversity of this collection.

Among emblematic pieces, one focuses his eye immediately on the gold and enamel pistol with perfume sprinkler attributed to Moulinié, Bautte & Cie, Geneva, circa 1806. Among the most delicate automatons ever produced, it incorporates a complex horological mechanism which gives its user the possibility to throw scents of perfume by pulling the trigger on the pistol which releases the spray at the end of the barrel.

If automatons are among the most complex realizations in horlological history, we cannot talk about this collection without mentioning these two watches which are exceptional works of art both from the watch making and enameling point of view at the turn of 19th century. The first signed by Piguet & Meylan with quarter repeating and painted enamel scenery is typical from the period.

This watch distinguishes itself with the details brought into its realization with an enamel depicting « the allegory of winter » signed by Jean-Abraham Lissignol, the case by Frères Oltramare, its repeating mechanism, the perfect marriage between aestheticism and technics. A true collector’s piece for connoisseurs which combines vivid colors from the painted enamel scene and the complexity from the movement.

This thematic from the seasons was often used by Geneva enamellers at the time. If hours and minutes give rhythm to our lives every day, seasons are depicted through portraits of young ladies dressed for the occasion. A real treasure for amateurs and collectors of decorative watches of great quality, like some of the few examples today kept at Patek Philippe Museum.

The last one of our selection so called « The Fisherman » holds alone all the ornamental and technical aspects of this magnificent collection. Attributed to Henry Capt, Genève and dated 1790, this watch with double automatons, jacquemart quarter repeating, shows a small fisherman in the lower aperture beneath a bridge made of multi-colored gold giving a deep effect. It is a real testimony of all these wonders, watches and automatons, which marked the history of horology between late 18th and early 19th century in Geneva.

If watches are works of art, this example illustrates perfectly the craftsmanship behind it with this goldsmith work in the decoration of multi-colored gold giving perspective to the bottom scenery, as well the painted enamel scene of ruins above with in the center two putti ringing on a bell just like « time for love ». If horology could rhyme with poetry, we could undoubtedly illustrate it through this unique collection.

Really, I would like to thank the two experts and friends at Antiquorum for having shared their discovery, Etienne Leménager and Julien Schaerer, one expert and the other one as well auctioneer, a great auction full of bids in perspective on May 14th, 2017 under the banner of the premier watch auctioneer since 1974.

Being inspired by the collector’s eye through this collection assembling all these marvels, within the next few weeks we will have a new column in the Blog analyzing in depth one great piece at a time, it will be called « the collector’s eye » without which « the expert’s eye » would not exist. A word to the wise is enough !!!

GEOFFROY ADER