![]() ![]() Typical of items made for the Qing China, the box is set with pearls framed in gold – the whole box is solid gold in fact – which sit on top of a brightly coloured, guilloche enamel surface. While the composition of the miniature is identical to the original, its differs from the original painting in that the magician was transformed from a grey-haired, elderly necromancer to a younger man wearing a turban, perhaps reflecting the prevailing European fascination with the Orient at the time. Based on The Necromancer by Jean Baptiste Le Prince, one version of which hangs in London’s National Gallery, the miniature-enamel painting depicts a young man and woman consulting a magician. And above all, the box captures the remarkable work of 19th Geneva watchmakers and jewellers, making it a bona fide treasure.Īround 90 mm long and 55 mm wide, the snuff box is large for such an object, allowing for a full miniature-enamel painting on the lid. It stands out not only for its artisanal quality, but also its mechanical complexity – the automaton plays musics and “answers” questions. Made in the early 1800s for the Chinese market, the flagship lot of the sale is an ornate snuff box with an automaton that ranks amongst the most important of such objects. Lot 2229: McCullough Magician Question-and-Answer Musical Automaton snuff box And the estimate? It starts at US$2.57 million. 2499, but instead it is an early-19th century snuff box that incorporates a question-and-answer automata. The top lot in the upcoming sale is not ex-Clapton Patek Philippe or a ref. Although the circle of collectors who pursue such objects is small, it is certainly well heeled. ![]() 6300A mega-complication that sold for over US$33 million in 2019.īut elaborately enamelled pocket watches are arguably the closest thing to fine art in horology, because of the intrinsic nature of the artisanal decoration as well as the historical importance. ![]() Now the most expensive timepiece ever sold is the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. With the rise of wristwatches as the preeminent collecting category, demand for automata and pocket watches have declined sharply. All our events are UK time and our events are live and personal, so will not be recorded.Īll money raised from our talks goes towards maintaining David Parr House – thank you for supporting us.Almost 400-years old, this pocket watch made by Jehan Cremsdorff sold for £2.175m, or about US$2.734m, including fees, at Sotheby’s in 2019 Numbers for the talk are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.Ī link for the event will be sent via email on the day of the event. Please click on the following link to book your tickets – David Parr House. There will also be insights into how working together as a family team, much like the 19th Century makers in Paris, makes caring for and restoring these objects of wonder possible. Demonstrations of mechanical singing birds, musicians and impressive acrobats, to pieces featured in film and TV productions such as HUGO and the terrifying monkey from The Woman in Black. As restorers and dealers in antique automata for over 30 years, they are the European specialists in these enchanting and surreal objects.Īs well as an insight into how they were used and some secrets of restoration, this presentation will introduce some highlights from their large personal collection of automata. Maria and Michael Start run The House of Automata from the Highlands of Scotland. Virtually – via Zoom – a link will be sent to your email address prior to the event ![]()
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