![RENÉ LALIQUE | AN EXTREMELY RARE AND UNUSUAL ART NOUVEAU GOLD HUNTING CASED KEYLESS LEVER QUARTER REPEATING WATCH, THE PIERCED COVERS WITH PÂTE DE VERRE DECORATION CIRCA 1900, NO. 17120 [極罕有新藝術風格黃金二問報時懷錶，穿孔錶蓋飾粉末鑄造玻璃，年份約1900，編號17120]](https://dam.sothebys.com/dam/image/lot/ebb62501-11e6-420e-aa41-cfb7c32ceee8/primary/extra_small)
Masterworks of Time: Abraham Louis Breguet, Horologist Extraordinaire 「時間傑作——阿伯拉罕・路易・寶璣：鐘錶鬼才」
Masterworks of Time: Abraham Louis Breguet, Horologist Extraordinaire 「時間傑作——阿伯拉罕・路易・寶璣：鐘錶鬼才」
![View full screen - View 1 of Lot 75. RENÉ LALIQUE | AN EXTREMELY RARE AND UNUSUAL ART NOUVEAU GOLD HUNTING CASED KEYLESS LEVER QUARTER REPEATING WATCH, THE PIERCED COVERS WITH PÂTE DE VERRE DECORATION CIRCA 1900, NO. 17120 [極罕有新藝術風格黃金二問報時懷錶，穿孔錶蓋飾粉末鑄造玻璃，年份約1900，編號17120].](https://sothebys-md.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/32ecba7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1710x2000+0+0/resize/385x450!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsothebys-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fmedia-desk%2F7a%2Fca%2F171f931c477087caba2d1a3cb94b%2F156n10397-9zxms.jpg)
Scarabee Rhinoceros et Fleurs de Trompettes
RENÉ LALIQUE | AN EXTREMELY RARE AND UNUSUAL ART NOUVEAU GOLD HUNTING CASED KEYLESS LEVER QUARTER REPEATING WATCH, THE PIERCED COVERS WITH PÂTE DE VERRE DECORATION CIRCA 1900, NO. 17120 [極罕有新藝術風格黃金二問報時懷錶，穿孔錶蓋飾粉末鑄造玻璃，年份約1900，編號17120]
Lot Closed
June 16, 03:14 PM GMT
Estimate
50,000 - 80,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Scarabee Rhinoceros et Fleurs de Trompettes
RENÉ LALIQUE
AN EXTREMELY RARE AND UNUSUAL ART NOUVEAU GOLD HUNTING CASED KEYLESS LEVER QUARTER REPEATING WATCH, THE PIERCED COVERS WITH PÂTE DE VERRE DECORATION
CIRCA 1900, NO. 17120
[極罕有新藝術風格黃金二問報時懷錶，穿孔錶蓋飾粉末鑄造玻璃，年份約1900，編號17120]
• Movement: gilded frosted bar, lever escapement, jewelled to the centre, bi-metallic compensation balance, repeating on coiled gongs
• Dial: white enamel, Roman numerals, outer Arabic minute ring, filigree hands, sunken subsidiary seconds
• Case: 18ct gold, the front and back covers pierced with trumpet flowers and rhinoceros beetles heightened with pâte de verre decoration in graduated tones of yellows, creams and browns to the front, the back similarly decorated with tones of brown, green, yellow and orange, the piercing revealing a maroon enamel covered gold cuvette to the back, repeating slide to the band, inside front cover with engraved monogram, the band signed Lalique, the covers, pendant and band with Paris control marks introduced in 1838, cuvette and back cover numbered 17120, front cover numbered 20
diameter 50mm
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Sigrid Barten, René Lalique Schmuck und Objets d'art, 1890-1910, Prestel, 1989 edition
Raymond Bouyer, La Décoration des Montres in: Art & Décoration 11, 1901, S. 31p. 501
Felix Poppenberg, René Lalique Magien, in: Vossische Zeitung, 22.10.1903, Nr.495
A similarly decorated Lalique watch case, also with trumpet flowers and rhinoceros beetles, but with Patek Philippe movement (no.97 537), can be found at the Patek Philippe Museum (Inv. P-1159). The latter watch is illustrated in: P. Friess, Patek Philippe Watches Vol. 1, p.251. For another watch decorated by Lalique in a similar manner, depicting bats and butterflies, please see: Sotheby's Paris, 16 February 2013, lot 106 selling for $930,837 and setting a world record for a Lalique watch at auction.
The Rhinoceros beetle, seemed to have been a particular favorite of Rene Lalique and one can find them as prominent decorative features throughout his work. Lalique watches are a true rarity and only a handful are known today. The present lot demonstrates Lalique's mastery of metal and enamel work.