DESCRIPTION:
EPW - L Leroy & Cie, Paris, rare prototype or exhibition self-winding timepiece of the pedometer type, 54mm, 18K OF purpose-fitted early 19th century French case, SW-SS, gold canister Tavernier style dial of the same period as the case, lever escapement, 15J, gilt mvt, without number, the spring-loaded weight signed and dated 1922. Chapuis and Jaquet ("History of the Self-Winding Watch") document the production of a handful of these timepieces by Leroy, produced from 1922-1929; they note only one series of seven pocket watches of varying styles and complication, all in early to later 19th century style cases of various thickness, signed on the bobs with serial number 1 to 7 and the name of the purchaser, the latter considered connoisseurs of older horological craft. At the same time, they show wristlet watches of navette shape, one also dated 1922 and marked "Système Remontage Automatique" (automatic winding system). The "Art of Horology in France" Antiquorum catalog notes that the two wristlet watches in the book were the only two made, and were the earliest automatic wristwatches ever made. The present watch would appear to be an eighth unknown to the authors, merely signed and dated on the bob. Otherwise, the watch only has the small scratched numbers 14381 and 11424 in the early case-back, along with the original case number 2165; one can only speculate that one of these numbers was a Leroy number, as the mechanism does not show any numbers on partial disassembly. Since all other pictured examples seem to include such numbers, one might speculate that the present watch was indeed the prototype design example, the first of ten apparent total production. Chapuis and Jaquet note that the pocket model was intended to be carried in the pocket upright, and would wind entirely in a 30-minute walk. Harwood's patent, after much experimentation, came a year later, in 1923, with subsequent prolific production. The present watch is among the first production efforts in automatic winding of the 20th century leading to wristwatch innovation, following other occasional pocket designs of the 18th and 19th centuries. It is the simplicity of the Leroy design that made it more susceptible to miniaturization, but the company apparently did not continue production. Gross weight of assembled watch 75.6 dwt (117.6 g). The present watch sold previously in our gallery in 2013.
CONDITION:
Mvt: GRO, good balance motion, good poise, near mint plates and bob, occasional cloudiness; dial with faint mottled tarnish or toning; hands in mint blue; fine early case shows little wear, few MFS, no dents, one sharp band ding; bow tight, crown shows hardly any wear; good glass crystal. A remarkable find. Description and condition report unchanged since 2013.
ESTIMATE:
$6000
-
$9000
PRICE SOLD:
$2800
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