French gold repeating Jacquemart figure automaton Circa 1800

Gold quarter repeating automaton by Hilaire Bassereau
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A French 18 carat gold quarter repeating Jacquemart figure automaton, circa 1800. Very rare and highly complicated movement, virgule escapement, repeating the hours and quarter hours while the figure automaton Jacquemart is moving. Very detailed automaton made in three-colour gold, a pair of shepherds with their sheep, central the white enamel dial with  Arabic hours and outer minute divisions, very exceptional gold Breguet hands. Plain case, the band with fine sound openings, solid back lid with bell. Case numbered, dial, cuvette and movement signed.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Weight: 167 g
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Signed: Hilaire Bassereau au Palais Royal à Paris l’An 1800
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Dated to the year 1800 and the inscription indicates that the version of this watch was made and developed by Hilaire Bassereau.
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Today only a very few Jacquemart figure automatons are known which are equipped with a virgule escapement as well as a striking mechanism on a bell. This could be the reason for the extraordinary signature, with which Hilaire Bassereau especially mentions this special version on the movement!
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Jean-Hilaire Bassereau, 1743-1810, was ‘Horloger de l’Empereur et Roy’ and a very famous Parisian watchmaker with a workshop in the Palais Royal, former student of Lépine. Some of his watches are remarkably similar in their design and details to those of his teacher Lépine. He was also very versatile, making both luxurious pieces such as carillon or singing bird clocks and early chronometers.