Beschreibung:

SWISS. AN EXCEPTIONAL AND VERY RARE PAIR OF 18K GOLD AND ENAMEL SNUFF BOTTLES WITH CONCEALED COMPLICATED TRIPLE AUTOMATON AND WATCH, MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET Unsigned, circa 1820 Each gold bottle slightly tapered in form, the bottle divided into three parts, the central portion showing a finely painted oval enamel scene of mother and child in traditional dress, light blue masking and decorated with dark blue, light blue, red and yellow enamel floral themes to the corners, black enamelled chamfered decorative corners, the other side showing a finely painted enamel scene of a young lady in a yellow dress playing in the country, the top portion of the bottle acting as a hinged top, opening to reveal a set of gold tools needed for one's desire, the lid also decorated with classical themes, light blue enamelled borders, black enamelled chamfered decorative corners, the top with enamelled floral motifs, the lower portion of the bottle with finely painted enamel scene of two young children playing in traditional dress, light blue masking and floral decorative corners, the opposite side with a different painted enamel image of two young children playing, green and white enamel border above, black enamelled chamfered decorative corners, upon pressing a small button in the band, the lower portion opens to reveal a complicated triple automaton with watch, on releasing the lid, only then does the automata work, the figure and moving image is chased in three-coloured gold, the lady seated at her spinning wheel, her foot moving up and down, the wheel turning and her right arm moving, all set against a finely painted enamel background featuring a water mill, other buildings, river and mountains, set in the sky is the watch, white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, the mechanism hinged and revealing a rectangular movement with cylinder escapement, plain three arm balance, the other bottle acting as the pair, identically mirroring images, all decoration, enamel scenes, the automaton and watch, with an engraved inscription at the base of one reading in French Dieu-le-fit Souvenir Leontine & Henry 1876-1877 98x27x13 mm. (2)