Fine Swiss gold erotic automaton minute repeater Circa 1910

Gold hunting cased pocket watch by Henry Moser & Cie
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Fine and amusing Swiss 18K gold hunting cased, keyless minute repeating pocket watch with concealed erotic automaton, circa 1910.
Gilt movement with wolfs tooth winding, 31 jewels, counterpoised straight line lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometer regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide in the band.
Case, sprung circular-reeded front cover set with a pearl and cabochon sapphire set anchor, the back cover circular-reeded, polished band, the winding crown set with a large cut sapphire. Gold hinged cuvette with concealed enamel erotic scene depicting two sailors enjoying local hospitality in a loggia, their ship in the background.
White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds. Gold spade hands. Dial signed.
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Diameter: 59 mm
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Signed: Hy Moser & Cie
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The enamelled erotic scene was later made on special order. Johann Heinrich Moser (1805 – 1874) Swiss watchmaker, son of a clockmaker, moved to St. Petersburg about 1827, where he opened a watch business (Nevskii Prospect and Malaya Konyushennaya St.). He had also a branch in Moscow. Moscow registers shows that he had an office there from 1827 to 1874 on Ilinka St. In 1874 the son Henry Moser, Jr. took over the business. The Moser Co. did business all over Russia, including such far places as Vladivostock in Siberia. In the third quarter of the 19th century they became suppliers to the Tsar.