Vaucher, Fleurier A VERY FINE COMPLEMENTARY PAIR OF CONSECUTIVELY NUMBERED GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL-SET DUPLEX WATCHES WITH MIRROR IMAGE FLORAL BOUQUETS, MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET CIRCA 1845, NOS. 3615 & 3616 [黃金畫琺瑯鑲珍珠懷錶一對，錶殼彩繪對稱花束，年份約1845，相連編號3615及3616]
Vaucher, Fleurier
A VERY FINE COMPLEMENTARY PAIR OF CONSECUTIVELY NUMBERED GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL-SET DUPLEX WATCHES WITH MIRROR IMAGE FLORAL BOUQUETS, MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET
CIRCA 1845, NOS. 3615 & 3616
[黃金畫琺瑯鑲珍珠懷錶一對，錶殼彩繪對稱花束，年份約1845，相連編號3615及3616]
• Movements: gilded Chinese calibres , partially decoratively engraved with scrolling flowers and foliage against a stippled ground, each with similarly decorated hanging barrel, skeletonised balance cock and central bridge, Chinese duplex escapement, five-arm polished steel flat balance, the central bridges in each engravedJnt [sic] & Son, London and numbered consecutively 3615 & 3616
• Dials: each white enamel, Roman numerals, blued steel hands and centre seconds, outer ring for minutes/seconds with Arabic quarter 15-minute divisions, signed Vaucher, Fleurier
• Case: gold, the backs with polychrome enamel painted bouquets of flowers identically mirrored, heightened with translucent green enamel leaves over engraved ground, all against an opaque black champlevé enamel background, split-pearl-set bezels and bow, the band and pendant decorated with geometric opaque black and white champlevé enamel, pushers through pendants to release case back and reveal the gilded cuvettes, the cuvettes with stylised foliate engraved borders and central rosettes, apertures for winding and hand-setting
diameters 52.5mm
To view Shipping Calculator, please click here Vaucher, Fleurier Vaucher, Fleurier A VERY FINE COMPLEMENTARY PAIR OF CONSECUTIVELY NUMBERED GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL-SET DUPLEX WATCHES WITH MIRROR IMAGE FLORAL BOUQUETS, MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET CIRCA 1845, NOS. 3615 & 3616 [黃金畫琺瑯鑲珍珠懷錶一對，錶殼彩繪對稱花束，年份約1845，相連編號3615及3616]
A VERY FINE COMPLEMENTARY PAIR OF CONSECUTIVELY NUMBERED GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL-SET DUPLEX WATCHES WITH MIRROR IMAGE FLORAL BOUQUETS, MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET CIRCA 1845, NOS. 3615 & 3616 [黃金畫琺瑯鑲珍珠懷錶一對，錶殼彩繪對稱花束，年份約1845，相連編號3615及3616]
VAT applies to hammer price and buyer's premium
Estimate:
60,000 - 80,000 CHF Lot sold:
138,600
CHF Vaucher, Fleurier
A VERY FINE COMPLEMENTARY PAIR OF CONSECUTIVELY NUMBERED GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL-SET DUPLEX WATCHES WITH MIRROR IMAGE FLORAL BOUQUETS, MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET
CIRCA 1845, NOS. 3615 & 3616
[黃金畫琺瑯鑲珍珠懷錶一對，錶殼彩繪對稱花束，年份約1845，相連編號3615及3616]
• Movements: gilded Chinese calibres , partially decoratively engraved with scrolling flowers and foliage against a stippled ground, each with similarly decorated hanging barrel, skeletonised balance cock and central bridge, Chinese duplex escapement, five-arm polished steel flat balance, the central bridges in each engravedJnt [sic] & Son, London and numbered consecutively 3615 & 3616
• Dials: each white enamel, Roman numerals, blued steel hands and centre seconds, outer ring for minutes/seconds with Arabic quarter 15-minute divisions, signed Vaucher, Fleurier
• Case: gold, the backs with polychrome enamel painted bouquets of flowers identically mirrored, heightened with translucent green enamel leaves over engraved ground, all against an opaque black champlevé enamel background, split-pearl-set bezels and bow, the band and pendant decorated with geometric opaque black and white champlevé enamel, pushers through pendants to release case back and reveal the gilded cuvettes, the cuvettes with stylised foliate engraved borders and central rosettes, apertures for winding and hand-setting
diameters 52.5mm
To view Shipping Calculator, please click here Condition report
Movements: both are running at time of cataloguing but would recommend a clean and overhaul. The movements appear to be signed JNT& Sun, London, at the time that these watches were made, The Vaucher Brothers had just opened their business in Canton, and it is possible that they added a spurious London signatures to add some extra cache to watches since their's was still a fledgling company Indeed at a casual glance the signature could be mistaken for Just a well known supplier for the Chinese Market. Dials: inspected through crystals only at time of cataloguing but appear to be in good overall condition, there is a build up of dust between crystals and dials. Cases: some light scratches to the enamel, a few scratches and very slight losses at the very edges of the panels. The movements appear to be signed JNT& Sun London, at the time that these watches were made, The Vaucher Brothers had just opened their business in Canton, and it is possible that they added a spurious London signatures to add some extra cache to watches since their's was still a fledgling company Indeed at a casual glance the signature could be mistaken for Just a well known supplier for the Chinese Market.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The online condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance purposes only. The images of the lot also form part of the online condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Any reference to condition in the online condition report does not amount to a full description of condition. The online condition report may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the online condition report of the lot or shown in the online images of the lot (for example, the online condition report may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome). Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. The online condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation but rather the online condition report is a statement of subjective, qualified opinion (for example, information regarding colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact). Please also note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and wrist bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. In addition, certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot (for example, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades). For these reasons, the online condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. Prospective buyers should also refer to the Buying at Auction guide which includes important notices concerning the type of property in this sale. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species. Please be advised that wristbands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ONLINE CONDITION REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE/BUSINESS APPLICABLE TO THE RESPECTIVE SALE. The Vaucher family’s first foray into the export of watches to China began with Charles-Henri Vaucher. In March 1838 Louis Bovet mentioned in a letter to his uncle that Vaucher had sent a quantity of watches, including those decorated with enamel, to Canton. It seems that the Bovets became Charles-Henri’s representative in Canton but the latter’s business enterprise was unsuccessful. In January 1839, Louis Bovet returned some watches to Vaucher which he had been unable to sell and it seems Charles-Henri pursued his export business no further. In 1843 another branch of the Vaucher family saw brothers Alfred (1817-1880), Édouard (1819-1847) and James-Henri (1824-1871) open a business in Canton from which they sold good quality watches in the styles that were fashionable in China. These brothers, whose business was named Vaucher Frères, were the sons of Georges-Alfred Vaucher (d.1840) head of a watchmaking business in Fleurier. Later the brothers would be joined by their other siblings, Fritz (1827-1913) and Albert (1833-1888).
Tragically Édouard, the second eldest brother, was assassinated in 1847 whilst travelling from Canton to Whampoa with watches valued at 40,0000 Francs. Allegedly killed by pirates, there was a suspicion that someone among his servants had tipped off the perpetrators. In addition to their trade in watches, Vaucher Frères also exported Tea, porcelain and lacquered goods back to Switzerland. Vaucher Frères were particularly badly affected by the Taiping Revolution and the firm ceased to exist in 1866. For an account of Charles-Henri Vaucher and the firm of Vaucher Frères, see: A. Chapuis, La Montre Chinoise, 1919, pp. 140-143.
