MID-20TH CENTURY PRISM CLOCK, CARTIERImportant information about this lot
Price Realised CHF 23,750
Estimate
CHF 15,000 - CHF 20,000
Estimates do not reflect the final hammer price and do not include buyer's premium, any applicable taxes or artist's resale right. Please see the Conditions of Sale for full details.
A model patented in 1937 had claims to be a 'mystery clock' in the wider sense: the Prism clock by Gaston Cusin. Born in 1897, Cusin had made his first clocks when he was fourteen and had been working with Maurice Coüet since 1919. It was the underwater periscope which gave him the idea for a clock with a dial reflected through prisms, and the principle was also applied to a few wristwatches. In 1984 Cusin's invention enjoyed a revived popularity.
Extract from Cartier Jewelers Extraordinary by H. Nadelhoffer Post Lot Text This lot incorporates material from endangered species which could result in export restrictions.
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You have agreed to be bound by the Conditions of Sale and if your bid is successful, you are legally obliged to pay for the lot you have won. The purchase price for a successful bid will be the sum of your final bid plus a buyer’s premium, any applicable taxes and any artist resale royalty, exclusive of shipping-related expenses.
Condition report
A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.
The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
- Overall condition good. Small scratches throughout. Gross weight: 412 gr. - O.Bachet & A. Cartier, 2020, expertise no. BC2003-57: Prism clock, Cartier Paris, circa 1963. Particularity: the model was invented by Gaston Cusin and patented in Paris in 1937. The gold or silver cube case was either polished, guilloché, reeded etc., receiving all the surface treatment given to gold and silver in the following 40 years including 'tree bark' as seen in this example. There were many sizes. The miniature models were sometimes placed in an architectural form - temples, pagodas, huts etc. Cartier New York also manufactured these prism clocks but the cubical case had different proportions. - Case signed Cartier Paris, no. 02105. - The mother-of-pearl of vari-colour, in good condition, a few chips. - Service recommended. - Movement ticking at time of cataloguing, working order and timekeeping cannot be guaranteed at time of purchase. - Please see Important Notice at the back of the catalogue for all clocks and watches and the sale of endangered species.
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Lot 71Sale 19662
MID-20TH CENTURY PRISM CLOCK, CARTIEREstimate: CHF 15,000 - 20,000
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