French gold, enamel and paste set chatelaine watch Circa 1780

Kenmerk: TA1170
Diameter: 35 mm

Estimate: € 6.500 - 12.000
Price sold: € 6.700

Gold verge watch with chatelaine
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A very fine French 20 carat gold, enamel and paste set open faced pocket watch with matching chatelaine, circa 1780. An oval painted on enamel medallion on the case back showing Cupid, courting doves, his quiver with love arrows and the temple of love in the background, the border with applied multi coloured gold, paste set decoration forming a foliate swag, the bezel decorated to match. White enamel dial, radial Roman hour numerals, outer minute divisions with Arabic five minute numerals, a winding aperture at 1 o’clock and gold Breguet hands.

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A matching chatelaine with maker’s mark AP, five gold links of which the top one is set with a polychrome painted on ivory miniature depicting a lady showing a man’s portrait to her son, the border with applied multi coloured gold floral swags, a crossed quiver and torch at the top, the lower panels en suite with doves, musical trophies, hearts and a flower vase, one chain with the original key and the other with a corresponding seal.Hinged, frosted gilt full plate movement with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, a verge escapement, brass balance with flat balance spring, continental cock with polished steel endplate and a silver regulation disc. Dial and movement signed.
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Diameter: 35 mm

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Length incl. chatelaine: 195 mm
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Signed: Vaucher à Paris
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The Vauchez or Vaucher family originally came from Fleurier, Switzerland and produced so many skilled watchmakers that attributing individual watches to their maker is very difficult. The best known was Daniel-François Vauchez.

Daniel-François was born in Fleurier in 1716 and married with nine children. Vauchez had to leave the country in 1760 and moved to Paris, where he became a master watchmaker. His wife and children initially remained in Fleurier but eventually joined him in Paris. He likely had a close relationship with Ferdinand Berthoud, which contributed to his success as a watchmaker. By 1767, he was listed as a watchmaker and from 1769 to 1790 he had a workshop in the rue Saint-Pierre-aux-Boeufs in Paris. He signed his high quality timepieces with ‘Vauchez à Paris’ and ‘Vauchez en la Cité’. Five of his sons, Jonas-Frédéric-Louis, Jean-Henri-David, François-Daniel-Abraham, Jean-Jacques, Samuel-Henri-André and his daughter Isabelle-Salomé also became watchmakers.

Daniel-François died around 1790 in Paris and Jean-Henri-David continued the business. In a poignant letter from 1826, it is mentioned that Samuel-Henri-André and François-Daniel-Abraham were still living in poverty in Paris and were nearly blind.

Various clocks bearing the signature ‘Vauchez à Paris’ and ‘Vauchez en la Cité’ can be found in museum collections across Europe, including the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

Signed: Vaucher à Paris