: The Theodor Beyer private collection was auctioned recently by
Antiquorum at the elegant Petit Palais of the Hotel Baur au Lac.
The unique sale represented more than 40 years of Beyer's passion
for clock and watch collecting. Antiquorum said that since all
the pieces in the sale were of exceptional quality, it was not
surprising that many pieces achieved four or five times their
estimate. The 143 pieces sold at the auction achieved 145 percent
of estimation, making a total of $4,164,470.
René Beyer, son of Theodor Beyer, commented, "I'm most delighted
with the results. Friends, competitors and those that knew my
father and his reputation have all been able to buy one or even
three or four pieces from his collections - which is exactly what
my father intended. The auction has been a great social event --
a real family affair. An added benefit has been that all those
that purchased a piece have also received a certificate of
authenticity of the Theodor Beyer Private Collection."
Oudin, no. 253, "Eleve de Breguet, Ru Vivienne, no. 7," dated
1806, $250,750.
Antiquorum said it received a tremendous welcome from the
people of Zurich and the German-speaking part of Switzerland on its
first-ever sale in Zurich. Virtually everyone who had known Beyer
had come to take part in the auction and pay homage to his passion
for timepieces. The atmosphere in the auction room was vibrant,
with more than 180 bidders, their families and friends occupying
every seat in the room. There was also nonstop bidding via the
Internet and the ten telephone lines. An exceptionally large number
of written bids also were received for this auction.
Virtually all the important watch museums were represented (the
Breguet Museum, the Vacheron Constantin Museum, the Watch Museum
of La Chaux-de-Fond, the Musée de l'Horologie de Geneve and
several Swiss private museums), and all of them were bidding
actively along with the many private collectors from around the
world.
Stars of the sale included Charles Oudin, "Eleve de Breguet, rue
Vivienne no. 7," dated 1806. The exceptionally fine and rare 20K
gold double-barrel self-winding perpetual watch made for the
Exposition des produits de l'industrie francaise in 1806-1807,
achieved $250,750.
Patek Philippe & Cie, Geneve, Ref 961, no. 866796, case no.
2837629, $217,670.
An Urban Jürgensen, made in 1818 and sold to Count Adam
Wilhelm Moltke, was an exceptionally fine large silver free-sprung
deck chronometer with helical gold balance spring and regulator
dial. It achieved $137,830.
The Theater by Henry Capt a Genève, no. 309, circa 1815, a highly
important and exceptionally rare 18K gold and enamel musical
automaton with concealed erotic automaton scene, sold for
$126,690.
Du Bois & Comp. (Locle), a highly important and extremely
rare 18K gold rose gold key-wound pocket chronometer, brought
$383,080.
Frederic Couvoisier, La Chaux-de-Fonds, an exceptionally fine and
rare 18K gold hunting-cased keyless pocket chronometer, achieved
$168,045, while Edouard Jean Richard, Le Locle, circa 1925, a
very fine and rare 18K hunting-cased keyless astronomical minute
repeating carillon watch with Westminster chimes, fetched
$89,470.
A Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, Ref 961 made in 1989 and sold
to Beyer August 24, 1990, was a rare 18K gold keyless
astronomical minute-repeating pocket chronometer with
instantaneous perpetual calendar. It made $217,670.
