The Case
Inspired by the shape of a pear, the case of the Singing Bird is one side made of a white enamel dial with a below oscillating diamond-set balance. The other side has a recessed richly painted singing bird perched on a leafy branch against a background of translucent pink enamel, bezels and borders of alternating rubies and half pearls. All surrounded by a Renaissance-style gold paillon arabesques with birds, grotesques and urns of fruits over a translucent blue ground, the sides chased with similar ornament, partly enameled and set with rubies, emeralds, diamonds and sapphires. The top scent compartment with stopper combines with a watch key, enameled on both sides en suite, the stopper base stamped PG below a crown, the base with hinged mirror-lined compartment.
The Watch
A white enamel dial, Roman numerals, gold hands, the timepiece and balance are mounted on a shaped foliate scroll engraved cartouche plate. With an overall length overall of 16 cm, the height of the singing bird remains at 12mm. Made in 1786, the singing bird scent bottle is adorned in rubies, pearls and enamel and features a meticulously painted ivory automaton bird.
The exceptional automaton Singing Bird Scent Flask of Jaquet Droz was sold for $2,530,000. A breaking new record for the centerpiece of the Sotheby’s watch auction that happened a few days ago in New York.
Created by Pierre Jaquet Droz & Leschot 230 years ago, the brand Jaquet Droz is proud to see this antique piece becoming a piece of art. Perfectly embedding the historical savoir-faire of Jaquet Droz, the brand continues on creating astounding pieces in its Atelier de Haute Horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
The automaton Singing Bird Scent Flask features an articulated ivory bird – of 12 mm height–with an intricate miniature organ replicating the bird’s song.
Set in enamel and stones, the flask is centered by a recessed medallion with a magnificent scene that showcases varicolored gold sculpture representing a branch with leaves with the singing bird automaton perched atop.
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