Large French silver verge watch with Adam & Eve automaton Circa 1790
- Kenmerk
- HC1485
- Diameter
- 57 mm
- Estimate
- € 3.500 - 7.000
- Price sold
- € 3.700
Silver and enamel open faced watch
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A large pocket watch with an elaborate painted enamel scene and Adam & Eve automaton made by Charles Le Roy in Paris, France, circa 1790. The open faced case of this watch, which was crafted from silver, has a twelve sided band and a later polychrome enamel painting of a lady with a swan framed by Oriental half pearls on the back lid. The face of this watch has a fine multi coloured enamel scene representing various animals, a window in the upper half with a round enamelled plaque showing a painting of Adam & Eve framed by a moving snake, a small white enamel dial for the time indication with Arabic hour numerals, outer minute divisions and gold moon hands at 6 0’clock. The unusual, numbered, full plate movement has a verge escapement.
The movement is signed Ch. Le Roy à Paris, the painted enamel on the back lid is signed Garnet.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Weight: 115 g
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Signed: Ch. Le Roy à Paris
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Le Roy
Charles Le Roy was born in Nanterre, France, in 1709. He became a master watchmaker on August 16th, 1733 and was appointed ‘Horloger du Roi’ (watchmaker to the king) in 1737. Charles signed his watches with ‘Charles Le Roy’ from 1734. Etienne-Augustin continued to use this name until 1792.
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Charles and Etienne Le Roy were particularly successful and became wealthy. Their customers included the largest watch enthusiasts of the time, such as King Louis XVI, the Count de Provence, Mademoiselle de Clermont, and the courts of Sweden and Saxony. The king’s inventory on January 1st, 1788 included nine watches by Charles Le Roy, which were kept in the private rooms of King Louis XVI in Versailles.
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Cases for the watches were made by Balthazar Lieutaud (circa 1720-1780) or Nicholas Petit (1732-1791).
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Today, watches by Charles Le Roy can be found in museums as Musée du Louvre in Paris, Historisches Museum Basel in Basel, The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Musée Cognacq-Jay, Musée Jacquemart-André in Paris and in the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon in Dresden.
Signed: Ch. Le Roy à Paris























