Description

A late 19^th Century Swiss lever watch in a silver and niello full hunter case depicting “modern” inventions.  Nickelled three quarter plate keyless movement with going barrel. Plain cock with polished steel regulator, compensation balance with blue steel overcoil hairspring.  Club foot lever escapement.  White enamel dial signed “F Bachschmid – F Borbolla – Manzanilla”. Subsidiary seconds, Arabic numerals and gilt minute markings, decorative pierced gilt hands. Rare silver and niello full hunter case depicting recent inventions in Art Nouveau style.  On the front cover in applied gold an early open car with spoked wheels and three representations of electric light bulbs with wings to the side.  Above the scene a microphone appears to be suspended.  On the back cover two men in a wicker basket suspended below a balloon.  On the side of the basket an anchor can be seen and one of the men is emptying sand from a bag.  The three electric light bulbs are repeated. Signed silver cuvette, maker's mark “Niel HF”.