Swiss silver lever watch with cast high relief case Circa 1907

Silver open faced lever by IWC
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A fine, rare Swiss silver keyless lever pocket watch with cast high relief case, circa 1907. Made for the 1907 Schuetzenfest, Zurich. Frosted gilt movement, 17 jewels, screwed chatons, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index 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 gold Louis XV hands. Case cast with two female heads in profile and signed A. Boesch.sc. Holy Frs. grav., the oak and laurel leaf border inscribed EIDG.SCHUETZENFEST IN ZUERICH.1907, oak and laurel cast bezel. Dial, cuvette and movement signed.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Signed: International Watch Co Schaffhausen
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The 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.