Swiss repeater with concealed erotic automaton Circa 1890

Rose gold minute repeating erotic automaton watch
–
A rare minute repeating hunting-cased Swiss pocket watch with erotic automaton, circa 1890. Swiss lever movement, cut and compensated bimetallic balance, two polished hammers striking on two gongs.
White enamel dial, black Arabic numerals, black outer minute track with Arabic numeral 5-minute markers, subsidiary seconds at 6, gilt Louis XV style hands.
Polished round hinged case, monograms to front and back, personal inscription to inside back dated April 7th 1891, repeat slide at 6, erotic automaton scene to the gold cuvette. Movement signed.
–
Diameter: 55 mm
–
Signed: LeCoultre
–
Erotic automation watches originated in Europe during the late 18th century, usually within a concealed compartment with opening doors to reveal the explicit scene either automatically when chiming or, more commonly, manually to allow the owner to display the explicit act. As the skill in creating the watches developed along with their popularity, more complex and highly enamelled scenes were made with two or more people in various locations and positions; the popularity of the novelty and inventiveness of the watchmakers became their downfall as the detailed enamelled figures began to represent members of the church or nobility drawing unwanted attention and leading to the destruction of numerous workshops and watches by law enforcement. Undeterred, the practice emerged again in the late 19th century, usually within the cuvette as with the current watch.