Lot Essay
G.H. Baillie records a Thomas Swetman working in London circa 1750.
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THE PROPERTY OF A DISCERNING COLLECTOR
Carefully curated by a discerning collector, the following selection of pocket watches delves into the history of handheld timekeeping from the early 17th to the early 20th centuries.
The collection is especially strong in a fine selection of verge watches, a number coming from the Albert Odmark Collection that was sold at Christie's in London in March of 2005. Almost every item in the collection displays a different complication mastered by the watchmaker's art. Exceptional highlights include, but are not limited to: a gilt-metal clockwatch with jade bell by Thomas Swetman made for the Japanese market (lot 48), a large pink gold clockwatch by Louis Audemars as one of his most unusual creations (lot 61), a gold repeating perpetual calendar watch with special retrograde date indication and the ébauche for the unusual watch by Marius LeCoultre (lot 69) and a highly unusual and rare gold clockwatch with grande and petite sonnerie by A. Samuel & Son (lot 74).
The fine workmanship of the cases of the watches in the collection also displays an added aspect to the horological arts including engraving, repoussé and hardstone work. The discerning collector and enthusiast alike will be impressed with this breadth and range of pocket watches.
THOMAS SWETMAN. A RARE GILT-METAL VERGE CLOCKWATCH WITH JADE BELL
SIGNED THO. SWETMAN, LONDON, NO. 4540, MADE FOR THE JAPANESE MARKET, CIRCA 1750
Details
THOMAS SWETMAN. A RARE GILT-METAL VERGE CLOCKWATCH WITH JADE BELL
SIGNED THO. SWETMAN, LONDON, NO. 4540, MADE FOR THE JAPANESE MARKET, CIRCA 1750
Gilt-finished verge movement, pierced and engraved balance cock, elaborately pierced and engraved pillars, small spring barrel for the strike via a single steel hammer on the jade bell housed within the elaborate foliate pierced and engraved watch case, gilt circular dial with movable steel Japanese chapters revolving in a clockwise fashion, pierced blued steel hand, movement signed
55mm diam.
SIGNED THO. SWETMAN, LONDON, NO. 4540, MADE FOR THE JAPANESE MARKET, CIRCA 1750
Gilt-finished verge movement, pierced and engraved balance cock, elaborately pierced and engraved pillars, small spring barrel for the strike via a single steel hammer on the jade bell housed within the elaborate foliate pierced and engraved watch case, gilt circular dial with movable steel Japanese chapters revolving in a clockwise fashion, pierced blued steel hand, movement signed
55mm diam.
Provenance
The Albert Odmark Collection of Important Clocks and Watches, Christie's London, March 11, 2005, lot 415.
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