18K gold and enamel, pin-set petite sonnerie striking clock with singing bird rising and singing every hour or on demand. Ilbery, London, movement attributed to Freres Rochat, No. 271, enamel attributed to Jean-Louis Richter, Geneva, circa 1800.
Ilbery, London, movement attributed to Freres Rochat, No. 271, enamel attributed to Jean-Louis Richter, Geneva, circa 1800. Magnificent, highly important, 18K gold and enamel, pin-set petite sonnerie striking clock with singing bird rising and singing every hour or on demand. C. The top with urn concealing the bird inside, with enamel flower medallion within half pearl frame against repeated motif of oval white enamel rings with gold acanthus leaves, separated by green and red enamel circles, gold scroll-shaped handles, standing on square pedestal with four gold and enamel finials terminated with good-size pearls, translucent dark blue enamel decorated with gold floral garlands in the front and back, sides with scrolling applied gold motifs, center with round case fea-turing hexagonal enameled panels on the sides, one depicting children in an Alpine rural landscape, the other a young lady with a suitor in classical costumes, half pearl frames, back with hinged panel centered by a finely painted young lady with another young suitor, gold paillon frame, translucent dark blue enamel border against engine-turning, edge pierced and engraved for sound with gold laurel leaves and green paillon repeated pattern, molded champleve enameled base, the whole standing on a rectangular base with scalloped edges with the lid in champleve translucent dark blue enamel over engine-turning painted in a black geometrical pattern, azure blue and gold foliate border, front and back painted with pastoral scene, river, Alpine landscape in the background, the other with five people enjoying themselves in a rural landscape, Alpine background, half pearl frame, molded base decorated with champleve enamel, and gold foliate pattern, circular feet decorated with acanthus leaves, Zephyr among scrolling hanging from below the base between the feet. D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute track with fifteen-minute Arabic markers, winding aperture for going train at 10 o'clock, striking at 2 o'clock. M. 47 mm. (21Ó'), gilt brass full plate, fusee and chain, cylin-drical pillars, verge escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, adjustable potence, blued steel balance spring, striking on a single snail controlling both quarters and hours striking, striking on a bell with two large hammers, lever at 5 o'clock for sin-ging/silent. Singing bird box: Rectangular, 86 x 46, brass, fusee and chain, eight cams controlling the whistle, and the move-ment of the beak and tail; three additional ones for controlling the bird's other movements, i. e. raising, tuning, flapping wings, moving tail and opening beak, bellows driven by eccentric arm from the second wheel, rectangular bellows, 8-arm fly regulator. Signed on the case, bird movement punched with number "271". Dim. Height 23cm., base width 11cm.
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