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Lot Essay
This necessaire set with a watch can be attributed to Piguet & Capt, specialist in miniature and complicated movements. It was the epitomy of luxury in the late 18th- early 19th century and a celebration of Swiss technology.
This extraordinary necessaire can be compared by the style of decoration especially of the implements, to the necessaire set with a watch and automaton sold at Christie’s, Hong Kong, 25 November 2018, lot 3748 which also showed those opaque enamelled motifs on the small sides.
The style of the enamelling and inventiveness of the design suggest it could be attributed to Isaac-Daniel Piguet (1775-1841) and Henry-Daniel Capt (1773-1837) who specialised in complicated watches, musical and automaton incorporated in snuff-boxes and objects.
Originally from nearby villages, Le Chenit and Vallée de Joux in the canton of Vaud, they were also brother-in-laws and formed a partnership from 1802 to 1811 when Piguet left to join Philippe-Samuel Meylan (1772-1845). Meanwhile Capt continued working on his own until 1830 when went into partnership with Aubert and Son. In 1844, the workshop was at 108, rue Neuve in Geneva managed by Capt’s son, Henry Jr. moving to to 85, rue de la Fusterie, and in 1851, to 177, rue du Rhône. In 1880, the firm was bought by Gallopin and its name became H. Capt Horloger, Maison Gallopin Successeurs, a trademark registered on November 1, 1880
Henry-Daniel Capt, together with Isaac-Daniel Piguet and Philippe-Samuel Meylan, were the leading makers of complicated small musical automata and watch movement held in original and richly decorated boxes in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
This extraordinary necessaire can be compared by the style of decoration especially of the implements, to the necessaire set with a watch and automaton sold at Christie’s, Hong Kong, 25 November 2018, lot 3748 which also showed those opaque enamelled motifs on the small sides.
The style of the enamelling and inventiveness of the design suggest it could be attributed to Isaac-Daniel Piguet (1775-1841) and Henry-Daniel Capt (1773-1837) who specialised in complicated watches, musical and automaton incorporated in snuff-boxes and objects.
Originally from nearby villages, Le Chenit and Vallée de Joux in the canton of Vaud, they were also brother-in-laws and formed a partnership from 1802 to 1811 when Piguet left to join Philippe-Samuel Meylan (1772-1845). Meanwhile Capt continued working on his own until 1830 when went into partnership with Aubert and Son. In 1844, the workshop was at 108, rue Neuve in Geneva managed by Capt’s son, Henry Jr. moving to to 85, rue de la Fusterie, and in 1851, to 177, rue du Rhône. In 1880, the firm was bought by Gallopin and its name became H. Capt Horloger, Maison Gallopin Successeurs, a trademark registered on November 1, 1880
Henry-Daniel Capt, together with Isaac-Daniel Piguet and Philippe-Samuel Meylan, were the leading makers of complicated small musical automata and watch movement held in original and richly decorated boxes in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.