18 - Magnetic mystery clock for the Ottoman market; France, c. 1880.

Magnetic mystery clock for the Ottoman market; France, c. 1880. Gilt bronze, brass and white metal (spelter) with green onyx base. With magnetic movement, auxiliary dials; thermometer and barometer. Overhauled. In perfect working order. Signed. A pygmalion in Constatinople. Measurements: 35 x 35 x 16 cm. This exceptional mystery watch, created at the end of the 19th century and signed on the dial by A. Pygmalion, is a fascinating piece from a technical and aesthetic point of view. Made in Constantinople, it is a French production destined for the refined Ottoman market, where luxury scientific and decorative objects enjoyed great prestige. Freely inspired by Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin's famous "aerial" watches, this model incorporates an ingenious magnetic mechanism that is at the heart of its mystery. A magnet discreetly drives the steel dials of the regulator, which in turn transmit the movement to the time system hidden behind the dial, creating the illusion that the hands move with no visible connection. This type of invention, halfway between watchmaking and illusionism, reflects the spirit of wonder and technical sophistication of the time. The clock is completed with subsidiary thermometer and barometer dials, making it not only a decorative object, but also a scientific instrument. This combination of functions underscores the nineteenth-century interest in integrating knowledge, precision and beauty in a single object. The rarity of the piece is reinforced by the scarce documentation known about this master watchmaker; however, there is evidence of the sale in Drouot of a watch with a singing bird also signed by A. Pygmalion, suggesting a very limited and possibly exclusive production. Everything points to the fact that this piece could be a unique work. The watch has been carefully restored and its mechanism completely overhauled, guaranteeing its correct functioning and conservation.