The scene depicting Napoleon playing with the King of Rome
Pocket watch in 18k yellow gold and polychrome enamel, round and flat, with keyless winding, the border "couteau".
The two-color dial, reverse motor, without seconds, signed "Movado Sûreté" with the mark of the retailer A. Türler in Zurich.
The back is polychrome enamelled "in full" on gold of a scene after oil on canvas by Jules Girardet (painted in 1900) depicting Emperor Napoleon and "The first steps of the king of Rome" in the garden of Bagatelle (ill. 3). The inside of the caseback is engraved with the numbers 15928 and 5420.
Movement numbered 34926, nickel plated with lever escapement, caliber 580.
By MOVADO, Switzerland, circa 1915 (model made in 1915).
D. 4.6 cm. Gross weight: 49.0 g.
Literature
Fritz von Osterhausen, The Movado History, 1997, p. 29, fig. 26 a and b (ill. 4).
Related works
- Jules Girardet (1856-1938), Napoleon, The first steps of the King of Rome. Oil on canvas, circa 1900 (location unknown).
- An identical watch illustrated in the above reference book (private collection).
- A third identical watch sold at Antiquorum, Hong-Kong, October 27, 2019, lot 16, auctioned for HKD 37,500 (ill. 5).