Musical gold box, Jean-George Rémond & Co, Geneva, around 1804-1812.

A superb gold music box, made by the craftsmen of Jean-George Rémond & Co in Geneva between 1804 and 1811. The rectangular box is decorated with an exquisite, fine ornamental pattern on the gold surface. The border of the box is decorated with friezes with floral motifs, covered with transparent enamel of a deep blue color. The upper lid of the box, connected by a hinge mechanism, is richly decorated with floral ornament. In the center of the composition is an image of a lyre, a symbol of harmony between art and poetry, surrounded by lines of small stones of bright turquoise color and edged with half-pearls. The central part of the back of the snuffbox is decorated with a guilloche field with a belt in the form of a plant frame, decorated with deep blue enamel. The sides with rounded corners are elegantly decorated with rich decor. The mechanism inside the box, presumably created by the masters of the Piguet & Meylan company, allows you to play two musical compositions selected using a side pusher. The hole for the winding mechanism key is made in the corner of the central part of the back of the snuffbox. The surviving drawing of the box is a unique confirmation of the skill of Swiss jewelers and mechanics of the early 19th century. The mechanism has been revised. Complete with a key. Maker`s mark Jean-George Rémond, Geneva, circa 1804-1812Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.0 x 1.8 cm. Total weight: 220 g.

Historical information:

Remond, Jean-Georges (1752-1830) - jeweler, goldsmith, founder of the firm Jean-Georges Rémond and Company. Jean-George Rémond worked in Geneva from 1783 to about 1820. The company specialized in the production of snuff boxes, snuff boxes with clocks, singing bird boxes, molded clocks and music boxes. The company`s products were of excellent quality, decorated with luxurious decor of precious stones, pearls and enamel. Rémond founded an impressive international enterprise with offices and production facilities in Geneva and Hanau.

Isaac-Daniel Piguet (1775–1841) was a Swiss watchmaker and mechanic who played a key role in the development of watchmaking and mechanical engineering in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Born in Le Chenit, Vaud, he moved to Geneva by 1800, where he began his career working for Jean-Frédéric Leschot, a renowned mechanic and watchmaker. A few years later, on 10 February 1802, Piguet entered into partnership with his brother-in-law Henri Capt, also a distinguished watchmaker. This collaboration produced complex and innovative watches, automatons and music boxes. By 1809, Piguet was known in Geneva as a “watchmaker-mechanic à la Madelaine”, a recognition of his high status in the craft world. In 1811, he entered into a new partnership with another famous watchmaker, Philippe-Samuel Meylan (1772–1845). Together they worked under the name “Marchands & Fournisseurs d`horlogerie & Bijouterie”, running a workshop in Chevelu, in the Maison Bellot (later renamed 45 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau). This period was a golden age for the creation of miniature and ultra-thin mechanisms, which were distinguished not only by their technical perfection but also by their exquisite decoration.