Miscellaneous

Lot 498    SESSION 3 (2.30PM TUESDAY 23RD MARCH)    Miscellaneous

Estimate $400
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $800

HALF HUNTER POCKET WATCH, late 1800s, Swiss made for Chinese market, in silver and with a white dial with black and white Yin Yang symbol in the centre of a Bagua, an octagonal trigram template, in the first circle around the central design are the Roman numerals I-XII for AM and then I-XII for PM, in a second circle are Chinese characters for the time in two hour intervals AM-PM, and in the final outer circle are Chinese characters for the time in three hour intervals AM-PM, with black hands and seconds hand, inside the back cover stamped with Chinese characters for Bo Wei (see note below) inside a lotus flower, the works are gold coloured and with a clear glass cover, the knob at the top end of the case is impressed with a Mercury head in a hexagonal on one side and on the other side is an indistinguishable character, key wind operation with key included, this is marked on one side, 'Alex./Ross/& Co' and on the other side with four Chinese characters meaning, 'Xin Qian/Yang Hang'. In working order, some age toning on the dial in a few places, otherwise good very fine.

Note: From about the 1820s Swiss watchmaker Bovet established a line of pocket watches for the Chinese market and to maintain Chinese tradition the company created the Chinese name 'Bo Wei' and adopted three Chinese symbols, the lotus flower, an incense burner and a vase. The above watch has the Bo Wei characters inside a lotus flower. This stylized lotus flower still features on the movements of the Maison Bovet.