Anonymous

IMPERIAL FAMILY GIFT COLLAR WATCH - Lot 257

IMPERIAL FAMILY GIFT COLLAR WATCH François Regnault NITOT, (1779-1853), attributed to. Gold present collar watch with key and cock. Silver dial with Arabic numerals. Lid encircled with fine pearls forming a series of flowers. Green enameled center enriched with a bee with pearled body and wings (three small pearls missing). Back also girdled with fine pearls forming a series of flowers. Unattributed green enamel center. N°3317. First Empire period. With gold chain (repaired). In a red morocco case stamped with the Grandes Armes Impériales, edged with an acanthus frieze alternating with trefoils. Inside sheathed in silk and ivory velvet. Closes with two hooks. Gross weight with chain: 38.8g approx. NITOT François Regnault. Son of jeweler Marie-Étienne Nitot, François-Regnault succeeded him as head of Étienne Nitot et fils. He was Napoleon I's jeweler, delivering several sets to Empress Marie-Louise. His successors Fossin et Morel joined forces with Joseph Chaumet in 1885. The Maison Nitot is the ancestor of today's Maison Chaumet, on Place Vendôme in Paris. History: We find orders for small collar watches that could be ours: "Vingt-six petites montres de col divers, en or émaillé, avec entourages, chiffres, emblèmes superbes et accompagnées de leurs chaînes et clefs" (4/09/1811). Watches of this type were invoiced at between 250 and 300 francs. Several watches of a similar model are known: - Those with the Empress Marie Louise numeral, with two types of numeral under the crown, on a translucent blue, green or opaque sky-blue enamel background. - Those with the numeral of the Queen of Naples, Caroline Murat, on a translucent green enamel background. - Those with the Emperor's numeral, at least one of which is in the private collection, one of which, with its sautoir and case, belongs to Marie Louise and is kept at the Château de Fontainebleau.