Swiss gold-plated open faced musical automaton Circa 1988

A Swiss gold-plated open faced musical centre seconds keyless lever lever pocket watch with automaton, circa 1988. Sold on September 13th, 1988. Lever movement, 17 jewels, manual wind, a pin barrel musical movement. Eccentric white enamel dial with Arabic hours, an outer minute track, gilt Breguet-style hands, centre seconds and a black alarm hand, set within a polychrome enamel pastoral scene with gilt automata depicting a falconer raising and lowering his arm, a horse drinking from the trough and a lady operating a water pump. Polished hinged case, an engraved foliate reverse with musical instruments, a crown at 11 o’clock for the alarm setting, reeded band, snap-on cuvette. Cuvette and dial signed. Accompanied by a Reuge music box, key, Certificate of Guarantee and instruction booklet.
–
Diameter: 57 mm
–
Signed: Reuge
–
The origins of Reuge date back to 1865 when Charles Reuge set up a musical pocket watch shop in the Swiss Mountain town of Sainte-Croix. By 1886 his son, Albert Reuge opened a music box workshop, the company experienced success and their mechanisms were to be found in a range of products such as powder compacts and cigarette lighters. By 1930 Guido Reuge had built the Reuge factory and he guided the company for over 60 years. Today Reuge retains its historical elements still producing singing birds but moving with the times, their music boxes today come in traditional but also modern and innovative designs.