Swiss lever with niëllo silver silver gilt watch chain Circa 1907

Pocket watch by Uhrenfabrik von J. Rauschenbach’s Erben
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A fine and rare Swiss silver open faced keyless lever pocket watch with a niëllo silver and silver gilt watch chain, circa 1907. Made for the 1907 Schuetzenfest, Zurich, 1907. Frosted gilt movement, 17 jewels, screwed chatons, straight-line lever escapement, bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan neck micrometer regulator. Hinged silver cuvette inscribed Uhrenfabrik von J. Rauschenbach’s Erben vormals International Watch Co., Schaffhausen. White enamel dial with Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds and original blued steel moon hands. Case with two female heads in profile, signed A. Boesch.sc., Holy Frs. grav., the oak and laurel leaf border inscribed EIDG.SCHUETZENFEST IN ZUERICH.1907, oak and laurel cast bezel. Cuvette and movement signed, case and movement numbered. Comes with original box inscribed Eidgenossisches Schutzenfest, Zurich 1907.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Signed: International Watch Co Schaffhausen
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A Schützenfest (German ‘marksmen’s festival’) is an annual traditional event celebrated in the Northwest regions of Germany, Bavaria and Switzerland. It is a kind of fair featuring a shooting match among members of the local marksmen’s association and usually takes place in summer. At a Schützenfest contestants prove their shooting ability, for example by aiming at a wooden eagle. The winner becomes the ‘Schützenkönig’ (‘king of marksmen’) until the following year’s competition.