Dentand. A fine, rare and early gilt brass and enamel openface oignon verge watch with date and mock pendulum

SIGNED DENTAND À GENÈVE, CIRCA 1700

Details

Dentand. A fine, rare and early gilt brass and enamel openface oignon verge watch with date and mock pendulum
Signed Dentand à Genève, circa 1700
Gilt brass verge movement, chain fusée, large balance cock set with the polychrome enamel painted portrait of a lady, the upper part of the mock pendulum in the form of a gold bumble bee flying buzzing back and forth, a curved aperture to the lower part showing the circular mock pendulum, all revealed through a glazed circular aperture in the base back, finely chased and engraved foliage decorated gilt dial, dark blue Roman numerals on white enamel cartouches, outer Arabic five minute indications on white enamel cartouches, inner white enamel ring with half-hour scale, date window to 12 o'clock, large gilt case covered with stained leather and gilt pin work decoration, movement signed
58 mm. diam.

Lot Essay

The so-called "oignon" watches were made in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the name derived from their bulbous form resembling an onion. Such watches were commonly cased in chased brass, occasionally in silver and very rarely in gold.

The false or "mock pendulum" was a particularly popular decoration around 1700, featuring a small arm visible trough an aperture and moving in unison with the balance, resembling a pendulum usually found in clocks.

Signed by Dentand in Geneva, probably François Dentand (1671-1754) who specialized in English style and complicated watches, the present watch is preserved in very good condition for its age. Its appeal is enhanced by the double mock pendulum, a date window and the unusual case material.

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