Swiss mystery watch in a gilt metal double sided case Circa 1900

Gilt metal mystery watch by A.S. & F. (Armand Schwob & Frère)
–
A rare Swiss pocket watch Montre ‘mystérieuse with hands moved by rotating glass discs, circa 1885.
The gilt metal decorated case is glazed on both sides. The dials are rotating glass discs – mysterious displays of the time –  with Roman radial hours, outer minutes track with Arabic five minutes numerals, and spade hands. And the movement is crescent shaped, gilded brass, with going barrel, cylinder escapement, monometallic balance (gilded brass), and blued steel flat hairspring. Movement, case and dial based on the Swiss invention patent No. 151, delivered on January 24, 1889, to Armand Schwob & Frère, Paris, for a Une montre mystérieuse (A mystery watch). Accompanied by copies of the invention patent and an article relative to this invention. Case signed.
–
Diameter: 54 mm
–
Signed: A.S. & F. Mystérieuse, Brevete S.G.D.G.
–
Armand Schwob & Frère was based in La Chaux-de-Fonds at 14 avenue Leopold Robert. The company was founded on November 1, 1881, and registered on January 27, 1883, as a company to manufacture metal clocks of its own in La Chaux de Fonds. The company was owned by Armand Schwob & Abrabam Schwob, who came from Basel but lived in Paris. In Paris, the company was represented with a sales point for watches and jewellery on 19 Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle.
–
In 1883 she was also represented at the exhibition in Amsterdam and offered brand watches AS & F., but also under the name Patek Cie. On July 9, 1885, an unfortunate discovery was made at the Antwerp World’s Fair. The jury, accompanied by Adrien Philippe, stepped forward to examine the shop window of Armand Schwob & Frère. A scandal was triggered by the presence of a pocket watch with serial number 26291 and the signature “Patek & Cie” in Geneva. In 1886 a watch was offered for repair at Patek Philippe. But it was again a watch with the initials AS & F. A final proof surfaced in the year 1890 with the testimony of Georges Roulet. He said he had already engraved the name “Pateck & Cie, Geneva” at the formal written request of Armand Schwob & Frère.
–
The Schwob company was then sued for infringement of naming rights and convicted in 1890 and had to pay 15,000 francs in addition to a ban on the use of the name “Pateck” or “Patek”. In the trial, a witness reported that Schwob had been doing it for 50 years (i.e. 1833)? They would use the name Patek Cie for their watches (see also: Pateck ). This conviction was published in five newspapers voted for by “Patek Philippe & Cie” and added all legal costs. In Paris and La Chaux de Fonds, the firm was declared bankrupt in 1892.