A9401
Rare Subsidiary Seconds Verge by Tompion
£18,000.00
Signed Thos Tompion London 0303
Circa 1690
Circa 1690
A rare late 17th Century verge by Tompion with subsidiary seconds dial.
Diameter 54 mm Depth 18 mm
Out of stock
Description
A rare late 17th Century verge by Tompion with subsidiary seconds dial. Deep full plate fire gilt movement with pierced tulip pillars. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Pierced and engraved winged cock, pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Lateral steel stop lever, a brass arm acting on the edge of the contrate wheel. Purpose made signed white enamel dial with subsidiary seconds, Roman and Arabic numerals, blue steel beetle and poker hands. Purpose made matching silver pair cases, hallmarked London 1769, maker's mark “SC”.
This watch formed part of the Burton collection, see “The Watch Collection of Stanley H Burton Warts and All”. A rare early Tompion, no. 1303 (the circled dot representing a thousand), with subsidiary seconds. Until the application of the balance spring watches were not accurate enough for the indication of seconds to be useful. There are less than a dozen examples of Tompion's watches with subsidiary seconds recorded. The dial plate is stamped “SC” for the movement finisher whose mark is found on many Tompion watches as well as some by Daniel Quare and James Markwick. The mark might be for Sampson Crooke. This The quality of the movement was still appreciated enough 80 years after its manufacture to warrant it having a new dial and case made for it. See “Thomas Tompion at the Dial and Three Crowns” by Jeremy Evans who we thank for his help in providing information about this watch
