Auction - Clocks for Chinese market at Sotheby's NY sale

Sotheby’s New York sale of Watches & Clocks on 27 October will offer several important pieces made for the Chinese market. The highligh is an Ormolu, Silver Mounted and Colored Glass Center Seconds, Four Tune Musical Automaton Table Clock, with Quarter Striking, made in the late-18th century by Francis Perigal, a British clockmarket to the King who specialized in musicalautomaton clocks. The design of this table clock combines the creativity, opulence and novelty that characterize many of the finest clocks destined for use by the Chinese emperors of the 18th century. From the time the first clocks were brought to China from Europe around 1582, the Chinese Emperors were fascinated with European mechanical clockworks. The demand was such that a workshop dedicated solely to Western-style clocks was established by the Kangxi Emperor among the Palace workshops. The Qinlong Emperor was also an avid collector, and eventually more than 4,000 examples existed in the Imperial Palaces. The sale also includes a stunning enamel butterfly-form musical snuff box. When his colored wings open they reveal a watch and a snuff compartment on either side.