Rare Indian 18K grande and petit sonnerie watch Circa 1870

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Kenmerk
AL2522
Diameter
54 mm
Estimate
€ 10.000 - 17.500
Price sold
€ 13.000

Gold watch with inlaid enamel decoration
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A rare Indian 18 carat yellow gold hunting cased pocket watch with inlaid enamel decoration, and grande and petit sonnerie, circa 1870. This watch features a bridge movement with a quarter hour strike, a slide release at 7 o’clock, a winding movement (operational), and a lever escapement. The gilt, richly chased and engraved dial has Roman numeral hour markers, a subsidiary dial for seconds at 6, and Fleur de Lys hands. It has an 18 carat gold case that is chased, engraved, and black enamelled. The dial, case, and movement are all signed. There is damage to the glass.
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Diameter: 54.4 mm
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Weight : 175.8 g
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Signed: P.Orr & Sons, Madras
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P. Orr & Sons Watch and jewellery store in India
 Peter and Alexander Orr, two brothers from Scotland, arrived in Madras in 1843. Alexander, a lawyer, and Peter, a watchmaker, started selling ice and working for George Gordon & Co. They took over the business in 1844, establishing a renowned company.
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The first showroom opened on Anna Salai in 1879, inaugurated by Prince George and Princess May. It sold diamond jewellery, military equipment, clocks, and its popular Swami jewellery. They also supplied Rolex and Invicta watches. A branch opened in Rangoon, Burma, in 1850, training the next generation in Switzerland. The company was renamed P. Orr & Sons in 1863. Peter returned to England, and James Orr died in 1869.
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The iconic Anna Salai building was commissioned in 1879, designed by Robert Chisholm in Indo-Saracenic and Byzantine styles, featuring arched doorways, high roofs, and a three-faced clock tower still in perfect condition that strikes hours and half-hours.

Signed: P.Orr & Sons, Madras

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