Swiss

 

circa 1925

 

Serial number 324,

 

Awake from your dreams the Swiss way... 

 

When 8-day clock movement wound and set to the correct time, the alarm train wound and desired actuation hour selected, separate singing bird movement wound from underside, the magic starts with the fast-paced gong running for approximately 5 seconds before the bird lid opens as the bird appears, singing magnificently and opening and closing metal beak, bobbing tailfeather, flapping both wings and turning whole body from side-to-side in perfect synchronicity, ending when the bird drops back down as the bird lid closes.  Manual override achieved for singing bird feature by sliding front start/stop button smartly to the right.

 

The bird with remarkable banded layered feathered plumage, with attention drawn to the quantity of lime and teal green iridescent highlights used, intertwined with the dark brown, red and lagoon blue matt feathers for head, wing tips and bib, rising up through pressed and chased seamless gilt grille with bird-form centrum.

 

The 2-train multiple jewelled 8-day movement with soft gilt matt finished dial, raised polished Western Arabic numerals with chapter dots, lower 24-hour alarm subsidiary dial with polished current time hand, dark blued pierced alarm and time hands, all behind domed glass front, surrounded by the luxurious lilac enamel band which accompanies the complex engine-turned circular timepiece barrel with intertwining helix decoration.  Mounted on twin deep fluted columns, each with chrysanthemum tooled capitol tops and slight plinths, taking the eye to the singing bird base which is fully enrobed in the guilloche lilac enamel of the finest degree of tone, with full-frame radial pattern to top, embellished by the exceptional soft white fired floral swag crescents which surround the centre, setting the scene of the oval bird lid with slight domed profile bearing pictorial enamel study of Chateau Chillon, on its small peninsula in the shadow of the snowcapped mountain ridge bordering Lake Geneva, with the very familiar 12th century landmark with the calm water interrupted by a single sailing boat in the distance, under a clear bright autumn sky. 

 

The grille surround of chased silver and the lid interior highly polished silver-gilt for full bird reflection during performance.

Front, sides and back with loose and tightly engine chased work to provide the eye with a fluting pattern as the box is turned through the light.

Start/stop button of stepped profile, tooled with double laurel leaf indent and the underside with full Marguerat stamp marks for silver content, Swiss made marks and the serial number within plain rectangle to one corner, all set off on the multi-wave line ground. 

 

Offered to you within fine leather and velour lined travelling case made to the exact original specifications, with slope front and twin doors opening the reveal the secure piece within, and space for the winding key. 

 

size - 5.3/4in. high, 2in. deep, 4.1/4in. wide - (14.5 x 5cm x 11cm)

 

Point of Interest - 

 

The joy of seeing a singing bird box by C. H. Marguerat,is the overwhelming power of quality they possess. 

This model is the very first commercially successful alarm-actuated singing bird box made.  The timepiece is advanced, with the 24-hour alarm dial providing an obvious benefit on setting margins, and the ease of use of a complex device. 

You will notice that the scene on the bird lid you may have seen before on a Douglas Fisher stock item.  On number 1338, this gorgeous castle, on the banks of Lake Geneva, is the ultimate add-on through the course of time building, romantically positioned by the mountains since the 1100's.

The lilac enamel used is one of the finest hues ever to be fired on a box in Switzerland.  Light in colour, this shows the viewer the engine chasing beneath without hindrance under any type of illumination levels.  The silverwork tooled with particular attention given to the edges and corners, seen here with little clusters of dot-trails to front edge and ribbon lipped corners.  

 

This is a very special prize in the world of singing bird automata.  Made with total dedication, at a time when the skills and determination to achieve the best was not only planned, but executed.  And above all, it has survived. 

 

Most probably the finest and best examples of this model to be offered today, Douglas Fisher are very proud to bring this survivor to your attention.