



























807
L. Vrard & Co.
An exceptionally rare, highly important and impressive yellow gold pearl-set hunter cased Empire-styled minute repeating grande and petite sonnerie pocket watch with polychrome enamel hunter scene painting signed by P. Amédeé Champod and presentation box, made for the Chinese market
- Estimate
- HK$800,000 - 1,600,000€90,600 - 181,000$103,000 - 205,000
HK$2,286,000
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- L. Vrard & Co.
- Year
- Circa 1890s
- Case No
- 5040
- Material
- 18K yellow gold, pearls and enamel
- Calibre
- Manual, two train nickel lever movement, jewelled
- Dimensions
- 60mm diameter
- Signed
- Cuvettes signed L. Vrard & co., Dial signed A.C
- Accessories
- Accompanied by fitted mahogany presentation box signed L. Vrard & Co. Tientsin.
Specialist
Catalogue Essay
Simply magnificent, are the words that comes to mind when one lay eyes upon such stunning masterpiece. Absolutely not a timepiece that you come across every day, but rather a surviving treasure from 135 years ago that you might admire through the glass display at the Patek Philippe Museum or Palace Museum. The present Grande and Petite Sonnerie pocket watch made for the Chinese Market was safely stowed away in an important private collection for nearly 30 years. It comes with exceptional pedigree of the most celebrated marker and enamellist of the 19th century, namely L. Vrard & Cie and P. Amédeé Champod who is the master of hunting scenes.
And to our delight digging through archives and tomes of Chinese Market watches, this special timepiece was well-documented in La Montre Chinoise by Alfred Chapius. From the literature, a glimpse of how this watch came about brings us back to the era of the late 19th century. According to La Montre Chinoise, a prominent Chinese collector from Lao-ting commissioned two watches from L. Vrard & Cie of Tianjin fitted with movements and Empire-styled cases made in the years of 1889-91 by Edouard Dubied of Fleurier. Empire style case were the most refined and most precious as both sides of the case were fitted with pearls. Interesting to mention that, usually, on the dial side 1st quality pearls were fitted while on the enamel scene 2nd quality pearls were fitted to not distract the attention from the scene.
But for this instance, we are spoiled with distraction on both side of this hunter-cased Grande Sonnerie. Lavishly decorated in the elegance of powder blue opaque enamel with chased band decorated with gold foliate, this entire watch is graced with a total of 154 pearls, 77 on each side. Perfectly framing two epic duel of man and nature painted by P. Amédeé Champod. It is notable that while hunting scenes are popular amongst Chinese Market timepieces, it is uber rare that these artworks are signed by the artist. The initial A.C (Champod) highlights this exotic specimen. Extremely intricately painted, one side depicts a Tiger hunt with a group of Indian hunters with a leader mounted on camel saving a casualty. The reverse depicts mounted Indians coming to the rescue of a camp under attacked by a wild lion.
Unhinged by the pusher at the crown reveals a gorgeous white enamel dial with Louis XIV hands. Decorated with elongated Roman numerals, the three dimensional diamond minute and seconds markers are in rich gold. The centre is decorated with a two-tone gold leaves and flowers that elevates the sophistication of this timepieces. On the adjacent on the inner case, crisp hallmarks and the Chinese logomark of Maison Vrard 亨達利 “Hangtali” meaning “spreading success” is preserved perfectly.
Covering the movement is a cuvette engraved with its unique case number ‘5040’ and L. Vrard Co Tientsin. The two train nickel lever movement features trains wound in tandem and a bi-metallic compensation balance with large gongs.
Complete with its original Mahogony fitted presentation box signed L. Vrard & Co. Tientsin, the present example is an ultimate treasure for collectors.
L. Vrard & Co
In 1860, Édouard Laidrich from Belp in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, together with a Frenchman, formed the firm of Laidrich & Vrard (later known as L. Vrard & Cie) in Shanghai. Laidrich himself had completed an apprenticeship in Fleurier before travelling to China to represent a firm from the same town.
With soaring demands, L. Vrard & Cie made a sound business move and acquired Borel & Sandri in Tientsin with operations other than Shanghai. A change of hands occurred during 1881 when Pierre Loup and Fritz Loup from Môtiers (Val-deTravers) became owners of both the Tien-Tsin branch and La Maison du Nord in Beijing. In 1893, according to our research, 亨達利 ‘Hangtali’ was the choice for the Imperial court as LiHongzhang, statesman of Huguang of the late Qing dynasty commissioned 12 enamel gold watches for the Empress Dowanger Cixi’s 60th birthday.
P. Amédée Champod (1834-1913)
Pierre-Amédée Champod was one of the most renowned enamel painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for his depictions of hunting scenes. In his autobiography, preserved by his descendants, he expressed a desire to create large-format paintings but was ultimately drawn to enamel painting due to financial constraints. He studied under Huguenin, Sauerländer, and Charles Glardon, who significantly influenced his artistic style. Champod left school at the age of eleven and began working at sixteen. He was awarded a silver medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. His technique was exceptional, and the dynamism of his compositions was unmatched. Additionally, Champod contributed sketches to the newspaper Illustration de Paris, including one of Queen Victoria during her visit to Lucerne.
And to our delight digging through archives and tomes of Chinese Market watches, this special timepiece was well-documented in La Montre Chinoise by Alfred Chapius. From the literature, a glimpse of how this watch came about brings us back to the era of the late 19th century. According to La Montre Chinoise, a prominent Chinese collector from Lao-ting commissioned two watches from L. Vrard & Cie of Tianjin fitted with movements and Empire-styled cases made in the years of 1889-91 by Edouard Dubied of Fleurier. Empire style case were the most refined and most precious as both sides of the case were fitted with pearls. Interesting to mention that, usually, on the dial side 1st quality pearls were fitted while on the enamel scene 2nd quality pearls were fitted to not distract the attention from the scene.
But for this instance, we are spoiled with distraction on both side of this hunter-cased Grande Sonnerie. Lavishly decorated in the elegance of powder blue opaque enamel with chased band decorated with gold foliate, this entire watch is graced with a total of 154 pearls, 77 on each side. Perfectly framing two epic duel of man and nature painted by P. Amédeé Champod. It is notable that while hunting scenes are popular amongst Chinese Market timepieces, it is uber rare that these artworks are signed by the artist. The initial A.C (Champod) highlights this exotic specimen. Extremely intricately painted, one side depicts a Tiger hunt with a group of Indian hunters with a leader mounted on camel saving a casualty. The reverse depicts mounted Indians coming to the rescue of a camp under attacked by a wild lion.
Unhinged by the pusher at the crown reveals a gorgeous white enamel dial with Louis XIV hands. Decorated with elongated Roman numerals, the three dimensional diamond minute and seconds markers are in rich gold. The centre is decorated with a two-tone gold leaves and flowers that elevates the sophistication of this timepieces. On the adjacent on the inner case, crisp hallmarks and the Chinese logomark of Maison Vrard 亨達利 “Hangtali” meaning “spreading success” is preserved perfectly.
Covering the movement is a cuvette engraved with its unique case number ‘5040’ and L. Vrard Co Tientsin. The two train nickel lever movement features trains wound in tandem and a bi-metallic compensation balance with large gongs.
Complete with its original Mahogony fitted presentation box signed L. Vrard & Co. Tientsin, the present example is an ultimate treasure for collectors.
L. Vrard & Co
In 1860, Édouard Laidrich from Belp in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, together with a Frenchman, formed the firm of Laidrich & Vrard (later known as L. Vrard & Cie) in Shanghai. Laidrich himself had completed an apprenticeship in Fleurier before travelling to China to represent a firm from the same town.
With soaring demands, L. Vrard & Cie made a sound business move and acquired Borel & Sandri in Tientsin with operations other than Shanghai. A change of hands occurred during 1881 when Pierre Loup and Fritz Loup from Môtiers (Val-deTravers) became owners of both the Tien-Tsin branch and La Maison du Nord in Beijing. In 1893, according to our research, 亨達利 ‘Hangtali’ was the choice for the Imperial court as LiHongzhang, statesman of Huguang of the late Qing dynasty commissioned 12 enamel gold watches for the Empress Dowanger Cixi’s 60th birthday.
P. Amédée Champod (1834-1913)
Pierre-Amédée Champod was one of the most renowned enamel painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for his depictions of hunting scenes. In his autobiography, preserved by his descendants, he expressed a desire to create large-format paintings but was ultimately drawn to enamel painting due to financial constraints. He studied under Huguenin, Sauerländer, and Charles Glardon, who significantly influenced his artistic style. Champod left school at the age of eleven and began working at sixteen. He was awarded a silver medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. His technique was exceptional, and the dynamism of his compositions was unmatched. Additionally, Champod contributed sketches to the newspaper Illustration de Paris, including one of Queen Victoria during her visit to Lucerne.
Full-Cataloguing
Provenance
Literature