Isaac Daniel Piguet (1775 – 1841) and Henri Capt (1773 – 1837?) were partners from 1802 to 1811 in the firm bearing their name, Piguet & Capt. The duo are considered amongst the most important makers of small automata at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries. Examples of their craftsmanship are exhibited in the world’s foremost collections such as the Patek Philippe Museum, Geneva. Reference: Sotheby’s
ATTRIBUTED TO PIGUET & CAPT. AN EXTRAORDINARILY FINE, RARE AND ATTRACTIVE 18K PINK GOLD, ENAMEL AND DIAMOND-SET RECTANGULAR-SHAPED KEYWOUND QUARTER REPEATING RING WATCH WITH AUTOMATON, ADJUSTABLE SHANK AND ORIGINAL FITTED BOX AND PURPOSE-MADE KEY
UNSIGNED, THE SHANK STAMPED WITH THE FRENCH IMPORT MARK FOR 1809-1819, CIRCA 1810
Movement: gilt-finished rectangular-shaped, one going barrel and one fixed repeating barrel, quarter repeating with two hammers on a single bell, cylinder escapement located within the bell
Sold for HKD 750,000 at Christie’s in 2021
An Exceptional & Rare Three Compartment Gold & Enamel Snuff Box With Concealed Automaton & Timepiece Attributed To Piguet & Capt, The Enamel Scene Likely By Richter, circa 1800
Circa: 1800
rectangular gold box 82 mm x 36 mm, the left compartment with a multicolor gold automaton scene, the lower figure working at his bench, upper figure working on a vertical facade, rotating windmill against a polychrome enameled background, the automaton set in motion when the lid is lifted, the left fitted with a brass cylinder movement with three arm balance, enameled Arabic hour and seconds dials against a black enameled and finely engraved gold panel, the interior upper right corner of the main lid stamped with RI & C makers mark, the tops of the side panels with gold and enameled floral vases, central panel with polychrome scene depicting a young boy fishing accompanied by two young women, applied multicolor gold floral baskets and leaves on the corners, the sides and base decorated with translucent two tone blue enamel against a lozenge design, the borders with white, black and gold bands
A RARE THREE-COMPARTMENT GOLD AND ENAMEL SNUFF BOX WITH TIMEPIECE AND AUTOMATON
ATTRIBUTED TO PIGUET & CAPT GENEVA
CIRCA 1810
Gold and enamel
length 83 mm
• vertically arranged rectangular box, the left lower panel concealing a timepiece modeled as a festooned clock with separate seconds dial, the right panel revealing a vari-color gold automaton scene of two cupids forging arrows, with hound and quiver in the foreground, the enamel landscape scene including a windmill automaton with revolving gold sail, the top compartment fitted with a mirror • the covers mounted with four octagonal panels with standing figures symbolic of the Seasons: Spring, Summer, and Autumn as young women holding the appropriate emblems and Winter as an old man with a brazier, centered by an applied gold Apollo mask with floral garland • the base and sides enameled in translucent blue over engine-turning within borders of leaf tips and double arches with urns at the ends • with contemporary enamel gold key • the automaton and timepiece probably by Piguet & Capt, Geneva
Sold for 187,500 USD at Sotheby’s in 2016
