A very fine silver gilt and enamel singing bird box with timepiece, by C. H. Marguerat,

Circa 1920

Bird movement serial number 620

Timepiece serial number 114

A radial enamel masterpiece...

We are pleased to offer this early 20th century box, please take time to look at the photos to fully apreciate the superb condition this box has managed to survive in.

When wound and start/stop slide moved to the right, the bird appears through pressed and pierced gilt grille, moving painted metal beak, wings, tailfeather and body from side-to-side to continuous birdsong.

The bird with green, deep purple and oxide red feathered plumage, iridescent highlights in green and gold, gilt grille with flowerhead detail and highly polished lid interior for full bird reflection, bird lid top with outstanding engraving featuring a bird towering over musical instruments and sheet music, front with squat oval powdered silver and silver gilt dial with Western Arabic numerals, blued hands, polished border surmounting domed beveled dial glass, to tri-point and wave-line tooled ground, repeated to sides and rear, winding/set crown to front underside, underside with full marks, numbers and paired wave-line tooled ground.

4in. wide, 2.3/4in. deep, 1.5/8in. high - (10.2 x 7 x 4.2cm)

Point of interest -

One of the most prized singing bird boxes by Marguerat, the enamel highlighted work through clever engine turning is at a level which would be very hard to undertake today.

Marguerat movements run slightly quieter than other like-aged examples by other makers, principally due to the effort of using two shaped card spacers between the base of the case and the bottom plate of the movement.  This cushioning also protects against metal rub should the chassis screws work loose. 

A model must-have for the connoisseur.