Sotheby’s London will auction off a swan clock made in London, circa 1790 for a Chinese Emperor, and which remained at the Imperial Palace at Jehol (Rehe) until the early 20th century on July 9, 2014.

As a testament to its craftsmanship and imagination behind the ornamental timepieces produced for the Chinese market, this King George III musical automaton tower clock, set with fine guilloche Geneva enamel panels, will be offered in the Treasures sale, along with other rare decorative arts masterpieces from prestigious European collections. Coming from the collection of a Swiss private collector, this timepiece classic will appear for the first time at auction, with an estimated value of $1,690,000-2,540,000.

At first an object of curiosity, luxury timepieces with musical and automaton functions became highly desired among the Chinese dignitaries in the 17th and 18th centuries. English merchants and clockmakers capitalised on Chinese fascinations by making elaborate and fanciful clocks, and many of the finest ever made were acquired by the Qing Emperors.

We Recommend:

Ancient gov't office of Neixiang county	47 World Heritage Sites in China	Penglai: Fairyland in the East