Henry Capt Quarter Repeating Musical Watch with Automatons
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1800
Maker / issuer
Henry CaptThis 18-carat gold quarter-repeating musical watch is attributed to the maker Henry Capt of Geneva, circa 1800. The watch features an 'Empire' double-body case with a reeded band and an engine-turned back.
The dial plate is decorated with an engraved classical landscape and displays an off-set gold dial with Breguet numerals and an engine-turned center, complemented by steel spade hands. An applied three-colored chiselled gold automaton scene located below the dial depicts a lady playing a lyre and a shepherd playing pan pipes. The watch is powered by a gilt brass full plate double-train movement equipped with cylindrical pillars, a cylinder escapement, a plain three-armed balance with a diamond endstone, and an English-type cock.
A musical train consisting of six piled-up steel blades and a pointed barrel completes the horological assembly. The diameter of the piece measures 58 mm.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- circa 1800
- Type
- Quarter-repeating musical watch
- Maker
- Henry Capt, Geneve
- Diameter
- 58 mm
- Material
- 18-carat gold
- Escapement
- Cylinder escapement
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Signature Location
- Movement dust rim
- Maker / attribution
- Henry Capt
Design
- Visible features
- • Off-set dial with engine-turned center • Automaton scene featuring a lady with a lyre and a shepherd with pan pipes • Gold case with reeded band • Steel spade hands with blued tips
- Signature and Provenance
- The movement is signed by the Geneva-based maker Henry Capt. The maker's mark is found inscribed on the movement dust rim. No additional provenance or ownership history is provided by the auction documentation. The object is associated with the Chia Ch'ing period. The attribution and dating to circa 1800 reflect the auction house's records regarding the maker's known period of operation and stylistic characteristics.
- Case and Dial Construction
- The watch is housed in an 18-carat gold 'Empire' style case. The case construction is defined by a double-body profile featuring a reeded band detail and engine-turned decoration on the back. A gilt brass cuvette protects the internal movement mechanisms. The watch face features an off-set dial arrangement with Breguet-style numerals and an engine-turned center. This dial is placed against a gold dial plate engraved with a classical landscape. Below the dial, an applied automaton scene crafted from three-colored chiselled gold depicts a pastoral tableau, specifically a lady playing a lyre accompanied by a shepherd with pan pipes.
- Movement and Musical Train
- The timepiece utilizes a gilt brass full plate double-train movement. Mechanical components include cylindrical pillars and a cylinder escapement. The balance is a plain three-armed design utilizing a diamond endstone and an English-type cock. The balance assembly is partially sunk on a gilt brass plate decorated with engraved scrolls. The musical functionality is managed by a dedicated train featuring six steel blades configured in a piled-up arrangement, operated by a pointed barrel mechanism.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Attribution to Henry Capt is based on a signature on the movement dust rim
- Research required: The association with the Chia Ch'ing period is noted without further historical context