Patek Philippe - Hong Kong Watch Auction: THREE Hong Kong Monday, November 28, 2016 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
    Year: 1866
    Movement No: 28'394
    Case No: 28'394
    Material: Silver gilt and enamel
    Calibre: Mechanical
    Dimensions: 60 mm. width, 100 mm. length and 32 mm. high
    Signed: Case signed and numbered, box and lid numbered and mechanism numbered
    Accessories: With key and Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1866 and its subsequent sale on 14 October 1873.
    Literature: For an almost identical singing bird box with box, please see Patek Philippe Museum Patek Philippe Watches, Volume I, pages 434 and 465.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Phillips in association with Bacs and Russo is delighted to present to you this Patek Philippe singing bird box with watch. To many collectors, it will come as a surprise that the firm manufactured such an object. Patek Philippe made twelve of these boxes with watch between 1860 and 1870, four of which are illustrated in the Patek Philippe Museum Volume I.

    These boxes were made with an extremely high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. The present box itself is beautifully hand engraved, the enamel panel depicting Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva is exceptionally painted, the bird itself is one of the most colourful and active birds one can find in a singing bird box. His beak opens, his head moves from side to side, his body swivels, his wings flap and his tail wags.

    Singing bird boxes were known as early as 1750. The principle behind the singing bird is always the same, whether the mechanism is fitted into the bird cage or a tiny scent bottle. There is a source of compressed air that is formed via the bellows. The bellows are essentially handles, cranks and levers, which are activated by a lever to the side of the box that bring the singing bird to life.

    Patek Philippe consulted Bruguier, a well-known singing bird box maker from Geneva, and purchased the mechanism for the singing bird and the cases from this company. Bruguier specialised in the manufacture of singing bird boxes as early as 1825. Consigned by an important private collector, this box is fresh to the market and offered in extremely crisp and original condition. The last known Patek Philippe singing bird box with watch was offered on the market in 2001 and we have the pleasure, 15 years later, to present you with this magnificent example.

    百達翡麗 微繪琺瑯鳥鳴盒時計

    百達翡麗生產的琺瑯鳥鳴盒時計數量十分稀少,據資料記載,百達翡麗在1860年至1870年的十年間只製作過12件鳥鳴盒,其中4件登載於百達翡麗博物館藏珍藏版圖冊 I。

    鳥鳴盒是一項極度講究專業度和細緻度的工藝,已知最早的鳥鳴盒約起源於1750年,其運作原理是將機械部分放置於一個小盒子或是香水瓶內,上鏈後靠機芯齒輪推動,在圓管中注入不同份量空氣,小鳥因而能唱出高低音韻。

    Bruguier為19世紀初日內瓦最知名的鳥鳴盒工匠大師之一,當時他們為百達翡麗提供鳥形機械與盒子製作鳥鳴盒。本件微繪琺瑯鳥鳴盒時計的人手雕工立體精美,琺瑯彩描繪白朗峰和日內瓦湖景,小鳥歌聲清脆嘹亮,羽翼亮麗且狀況完整,四種擺動包括鳥喙開合、頭部擺動、身體轉動、展翅拍動,整體運作良好、生動活潑。

    本季富藝斯十分榮幸得到重要私人藏家支持,呈獻以下這件精緻瑰麗的百達翡麗微繪琺瑯鳥鳴盒時計。百達翡麗相類似作品於2001年曾出現拍賣市場,15年後再現必定引起關注。本拍品首次現身拍賣市場,品相一流,機會再現,各界藏家不容錯過。

  • Artist Biography

    Patek Philippe

    Swiss • 1839

    Since its founding in 1839, this famous Geneva-based firm has been surprising its clientele with superbly crafted timepieces fitted with watchmaking's most prestigious complications. Traditional and conservative designs are found across Patek Philippe's watches made throughout their history — the utmost in understated elegance.

    Well-known for the Graves Supercomplication — a highly complicated pocket watch that was the world’s most complicated watch for 50 years — this family-owned brand has earned a reputation of excellence around the world. Patek's complicated vintage watches hold the highest number of world records for results achieved at auction compared with any other brand. For collectors, key models include the reference 1518, the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, and its successor, the reference 2499. Other famous models include perpetual calendars such as the ref. 1526, ref. 3448 and 3450, chronographs such as the reference 130, 530 and 1463, as well as reference 1436 and 1563 split seconds chronographs. Patek is also well-known for their classically styled, time-only "Calatrava" dress watches, and the "Nautilus," an iconic luxury sports watch first introduced in 1976 as the reference 3700 that is still in production today.

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1107

An exceptional and extraordinarily rare silver gilt and enamel singing bird box with watch

1866
60 mm. width, 100 mm. length and 32 mm. high
Case signed and numbered, box and lid numbered and mechanism numbered

Estimate
HK$1,200,000 - 2,000,000 
€141,000-235,000
$150,000-250,000

Sold for HK$2,240,000

Hong Kong Watch Auction: THREE

Hong Kong Auction 29 November 2016