Joséphine de BEAUHARNAIS, (1763-1814), Empress. - Lot 268

Lot n° 268
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Estimation :
15000 - 20000 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 234 000EUR
Joséphine de BEAUHARNAIS, (1763-1814), Empress. - Lot 268
Joséphine de BEAUHARNAIS, (1763-1814), Empress. Empress JOSEPHINE's watch. Stunning and rare rock crystal cross-shaped pendant watch. Chased and cut-out silver mount framing the edges of the cross. Cross-shaped rock crystal case entirely adorned with a finely chased and cut-out silver frame decorated with arabesques. Astonishing silver dial with Roman numerals and applied railway markers, enhanced by four subdials: -a sub-counter at 3 o'clock for the months, a sub-counter at 9 o'clock for the days, a sub-counter at 12 o'clock for the date and moon phases. - Periodic indication of the day at 6 o'clock (morning, noon, evening and night). On a silver background decorated with arabesques and mythological animals. Blued steel hands. Mineral glass. Mechanical movement with key winding, verge escapement, Renaissance-style ewer-shaped cock. 48 x 36 mm. Circa 1800. Watch in very good condition. Working mechanism. Bears an aluminum pastille from the collections of Prince Victor NAPOLEON, stamped "4366". Provenance : -Empress JosEphine -Jean-Thomas Arrighi de Casanova, 1st Duke of Padua -Collection prince Victor NAPOLEON n°4366 -Prince Louis NAPOLEON Collection -Charles BONAPARTE, Princess Catherine NAPOLEON and Princess Laure NAPOLEON -Acquired by Countess Viviane de WITT. Biography: Jean-Thomas Arrighi de Casanova (1778-1853), 1st Duke of Padua. General and politician of the French Revolution and Empire. Related to Bonaparte, he served him faithfully, taking part in all his campaigns. After the fall of the Empire, he went into exile in Lombardy before returning to France in 1820, where he settled in his château de Courson. EMPRESS JOSÉPHINE DE BEAUHARNAIS (1763-1814) Marie Joseph Rose de Tascher de La Pagerie, (1763-1814). Married Alexandre de Beauharnais in 1779, from whom she soon separated after the birth of her two children, Eugène and Hortense. Her husband was guillotined in 1794. Met the young General Bonaparte in autumn 1795, who fell passionately in love with her and married her on March 9, 1796. Renamed Joséphine by Napoleon, she accompanied him on his prodigious ascent. A well-informed patron of the arts, she played a major role in the development of the arts under the First Empire. Very attentive to her appearance, she spent lavishly on toiletries and sumptuous finery. After her divorce in 1809, she retained ownership of the Malmaison estate and was given the title of Duchess of Navarre. According to the typed inventory book of the Prince Victor Napoleon collection, n°4366 is described as follows: Cross-shaped cut crystal watch edged in silver with several small dials, hours indicated in letters - Louis XIII period Belonged to Empress JOSEPHINE (Provenance; Le Duc de PADOUE) Temporary import The buyer will be required to pay import duties, i.e. 5.5% in addition to the hammer price, unless the item is immediately re-exported outside the European Union. Work in temporary import The buyer will have to pay import fees of 5.5% in addition to the hammer price, unless the buyer immediately re-exports the lot outside the European Union.
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