George Philip Strigel, London

• gilt full plate movement, cylinder escapement, decoratively pierced and engraved masked balance cock, diamond endstone, fusee and chain, round baluster pillars, repeating on a bell • white enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer Arabic minute track, winding square at 6 o'clock, gilt metal diamond set floriated hands • gilt metal dust cover • gold case with enamel over engine turning on front bezel, crystal with diamond surround, diamond push piece, rear bezel with enamel over engine turning, central enamel scene depicting cupid taming a lion, suggesting the strength of love, after an engraving by Bernard Picart, diamond surround, dust cap signed Geo. Phi. Strigel, London, case with maker's mark I.R for James Richards, enamel scene signed Moser.F for George Michael Moser • movement signed Geo. Phi. Strigel, London, BBLD • with matching chatelaine similarly decorated with enamel panels by Moser, the panels surrounded by diamonds, chatelaine clip depicting Medusa, diamond-set bows and rosettes joining the panels

Maria Callas

Philips, London, September 1984, sold by order of the beneficiary of the Late Maria Callas.

Terence Camerer Cuss, The English Watch 1585-1970, p. 250, pl. 156

Cedric Jagger, The Artistry of the English Watch,  pp. 90-91, pl. 10

Richard Edgecumbe, The Art of the Gold Chaser, pp 118-119., fig. 107d,

The superb enamel scenes to the case back and chatelaine are by George Michael Moser and were inspired by a Bernard Picart engraving, after a cameo by Alessandro Cessati, see: Richard Edgcumbe, The Art of the Gold Chaser, 2000, p.119, figs. 107 b & d. This piece differs from several other enamel scenes by Moser as the background is a rich blue, rather than his typical chocolate-coloured backgrounds.  Moser also used this scene for a gold box in the Arthur Gilbert Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

George Philip Strigel, London, is recorded in G.H. Baillie, Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, Third edition, as a freemen of the Clockmakers' Company in 1781. He was also recorded op.cit. as watchmaker to the Queen. Camerer Cuss notes in his book English Watches, that Strigel was well connected and was known to have  supplied a pair of Chelsea Porcelain clocks to Queen Charlotte.