Archive of Sold Items
Showing 13–24 of 1131 results
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Tortoiseshell Pair Cased Verge by Tompion
A late 17th Century English verge by Tompion in silver and tortoiseshell pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement with elaborate pierced pillars. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Pierced and engraved winged cock with irregular pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel three arm balance, silver regulator disc. Later white enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals, blue steel beetle and poker hands. Plain silver inner case, silver pendant and stirrup bow. Silver and tortoiseshell outer case elaborately decorated with silver pique pins, a chased and engraved circular disc at the centre of the back.
An early example by Thomas Tompion whose watches have become ever more desirable in recent yearsCirca 1688£19,000.00 Read more -
Early English Clockwatch
An interesting late 17th Century English verge clockwatch in silver pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement with unusual narrow engraved pillars. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates, centre wheel raised to allow for the strike wheel and hammer. Pierced and engraved winged cock, pierced and engraved foot and additional steady foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Five leaf pinions in both the going and striking trains. Hour striking on a bell in the case, pierced and engraved resting barrel, blue steel stopwork. Silver champleve dial, arcaded minute ring, Roman and Arabic numerals, gilt hands. Pierced and engraved pair cases, unusual pierced bow. Small silver button in the bezel at eight o'clock to allow the watch to repeat the last hour. Chased, engraved and pierced outer case, four busts around the central scene depicting King Edward IV meeting the tanner of Tamworth.
Simon Beauvais London, free of the Clockmakers Company 1690 – 1730. An eminent maker, strike repeating watch in the Dennison collection. This interesting watch dates originally from about 1690 based on the style of the cock and use of five leaf pinions. It has been modernised about 1730, having a new dial and replacement outer case made for it. This would have been justified by the extensive work carried out to the striking mechanism which also allowed it to be used as a repeater. From the evidence of the striking train and pillar adjacent, the movement appears to have been converted from count wheel strike with the count wheel unusually situated under the dial. This is a rare variation of the more usual configuration where the silver count wheel is visible on top of the plate. Between 1700 and 1705 rack striking superceded the countwheel which easily lost synchronization with the handsCirca 1690£9,500.00 Read more -
Rare Subsidiary Seconds Verge by Tompion
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 watchCirca 1690£18,000.00 Read more -
Silver and Tortoiseshell Pair Cased Verge
A late 17th Century English silver champleve dial verge in silver and tortoiseshell pair cases. 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 with irregular edge. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc, unusual hand indicating the setting. Fine signed silver champleve dial with Roman and Arabic numerals, fine blue steel tulip hour hand and triangular section minute hand. Plain silver inner case, split bezel, maker's mark “VB”. Outer case with silver bezels covered in partially restored tortoiseshell and decorated with silver pique pins and inlaid wire work. In the centre an engraved silver coat of arms for John Marriot of Kings Langley, Hertfordshire.
A good example of a late seventeenth Century English timepiece. John Shaw, Holborn, apprenticed 1672, free of the Clockmakers Company 1682 and Master 1712-15. Casemaker Urian Berrington whose mark appears on the 1682 plate. Another watch by John Shaw and case by Berrington hallmarked 1707 is in the British MuseumCirca 1690£10,500.00Original price was: £10,500.00.£9,000.00Current price is: £9,000.00. Read more -
Early Gold Champleve Dial Verge
A fine late 17th Century English verge with gold champleve dial in gold pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement, Egyptian pillars with decorative pierced galleries above. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Pierced and engraved winged cock with mask, pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Fine signed gold champleve dial with Roman and Arabic numerals, fine blue steel beetle and poker hands. Gold pair cases, plain inner with split bezel, gold pendant and ring bow. Circular gold shutter to the winding aperture, maker's mark “ID” and number corresponding to that on the movement. Plain gold outer case, makers mark “IE” below a star.
An attractive example of early English watchmaking. George Etherington was an eminent maker, free of the Clockmakers Company 1684 and Master in 1709. Casemaker James Delander, free of the Clockmakers Company 1669Hallmarked London 1694£12,000.00 Read more -
Silver Champleve Dial English Verge
A late 17th Century English silver champleve dial verge in silver pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement, Egyptian pillars with pierced galleries above. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Pierced and engraved winged cock with mask, pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Signed silver champleve dial with Roman and Arabic numerals, beetle and poker hands. Plain silver pair cases, split bezel, silver pendant and bow. Plain silver outer case with seven joint square hinge.
A good example of an English verge with silver champleve dial. Nicolas Massy, free of the Clockmakers Company1693-1723,Circa 1695£4,900.00 Read more -
Rare English Verge with Portrait of Queen Anne
A rare late 17th Century English verge, silver champleve dial with blue steel regulator disc in silver pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement with Egyptian pillars. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Unusual large pierced and engraved bridge cock depicting drums and flags. The finely chased and engraved parcel gilt silver cartouche at its centre bears a portrait of the future Queen Anne. Winding through the cock and four arm plain steel balance. Pierced and engraved plate retaining the regulator slide which is adjusted by the gilt and blue steel disc set below the numeral “XII” on the dial. The two are connected by a shaft running through the hollow barrel arbor. Signed silver champleve dial. Roman and Arabic numerals, fine blue steel beetle and poker hands. Matching silver pair cases, split bezel silver pendant and bow square hinge to the outer case. Maker's mark IB” below a crown and number corresponding to that on the movement.
A rare watch in very fine condition. David Lestourgeon, London 1681, free of the clockmakers Company 1698 – 1731, a fine maker. A copy of his will, which lists him as “Watch Maker and Innholder of Finch Lane , City of London” accompanies the watch and can be viewed at the National Archives in Kew. The use of the bridge cock influenced by his French origin. His father, also David, was a Huguenot who moved from Rouen to London in 1680. Several watches known a number of which have royal connections. Two interesting examples with mock pendulum dials by Lestourgeon are in the Museum of London and the British Museum. The watch in the Museum of London has a bust of William III, the date of his death (8th March 1702) and a skull and cross bones above the letter W on the back of the movement. The watch in the British Museum (Ref No. 1958,1201.6161958,1201.616) is illustrated in Brittens, the backplate bearing a portrait of Queen Anne flanked by Orb and Crown and below the inscription “Regn incip 8 mart 1702”. This case of this watch is by the same maker and also bears the number, 5488, significantly higher than this example. Casemaker, John Banbury, his mark appearing on the 1682 plate, also worked for Knibb, Tompion and Massy.Circa 1695£5,500.00 Read more -
Silver and Tortoiseshell calendar Verge Alarm
A late 17th Century English single handed alarm with calendar in fine silver and tortoiseshell pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement with four tulip pillars and one engraved pillar. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Small offset going train with gilt wheels, the hand driven by a small pinion on the fusee arbor. Plain steel balance. Pierced and engraved bridge cock, pierced and engraved plate for the silver regulator disc. Blue steel stopwork for the alarm train, blue steel mainspring visible through the pierced and engraved resting barrel. Steel two headed alarm hammer striking on a bell in the case, steel contrate and crown wheel. Silver champleve dial with Roman numerals the hour indicated by a small blue steel marker on the central alarm disc. The alarm time set by the small double ended blue steel hand. Date calendar marked in Arabic numerals on a gilt ring bordering the dial indicated by a small pin which moves continuously. Pierced and engraved silver inner case, split bezel, silver pendant and ring bow, circular silver shutters to the winding apertures. Fine outer case with silver bezels covered in tortoiseshell. Geometric silver pique pins in the centre of the back surrounded by a band of fine pique pins set in semi-circles encompassing silver rings to allow the bell to sound clearly.
In fine overall condition. It is unusual to find calendar indications on alarm watches of this period. Claude Viet, free of the Clockmakers Company 1698. Watchmaker to the Queen – died 1734.Circa 1695£14,500.00 Read more -
Early Sun and Moon Verge
A late 17th Century verge with silver champleve Sun and Moon dial in silver pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement, broad tulip pillars. Fusee and chain with ratchet and click wheel barrel setup between the plates. Pierced and engraved cock with unusual small pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Silver champleve dial, Arabic numerals for the minutes, later gilt minute hand. The hours are indicated by a blue steel disc which rotates once every 24 hours. This is viewed through a semi-circular aperture and has engraved on one half the gold sun and on the other the silver moon. The border of the semi-circle marked for hours from six through twelve and back to six in Roman numerals. As the sun disappears at the right of the aperture the moon appears at the left. Plain silver pair cases, silver ring pendant and bow.
Circa 1695£10,500.00Original price was: £10,500.00.£9,500.00Current price is: £9,500.00. Read more -
Early Silver Sun and Moon Verge
A late 17th Century English verge with silver champleve sun and moon dial in silver pair cases. 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 cock with small wings, broad pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Silver champleve dial, Arabic numerals for the minutes, blue steel poker hand. The hours are indicated by a blue steel disc set with engraved gold sun and silver moon and stars which rotates once every 24 hours. This is viewed through a semi-circular aperture, the edge marked with the hours six through twelve and back to six in Roman numerals. As the sun disappears at the right of the aperture the moon appears at the left. The lower half of the dial decoratively chased and engraved with two birds and signed in an oval cartouche. Plain silver pair cases, the outer with faint traces of gilding.
Circa 1695£8,750.00 Read more -
Early Sun and Moon Dial Verge
A fine late 17th Century English verge with Sun and Moon silver champleve dial in tortoiseshell and pique pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement with pillars. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Pierced and engraved winged cock with mask, pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Fine blue steel disc inlaid with silver moon and stars and engraved gold sun. The hours are indicated by the disc which rotates once every 24 hours. This is viewed through a semi-circular aperture and has engraved on one half the gold sun and on the other the silver moon. At the edge of the semi-circle the hours are marked from six through twelve and back to six in Roman numerals. As the sun disappears at the right of the aperture the moon appears at the left. The lower half of the dial signed in an oval, decoratively chased and engraved . Plain silver inner case, silver pendant and ring bow, maker's mark “LB”. Fine outer case covered in red tortoiseshell decorated with silver pique and delicate silver wire work depicting a scene of a church beside a river.
In excellent overall condition, one of the best we have seen. Joseph Foster, Exchange Alley, apprenticed 1684, Free of the Clockmakers Company 1691 – 1707. Watch Sun and Moon hour indicators in the Dennison collection. Casemaker Luke Bird, Free 1683Circa 1695£11,500.00 Read more -
Unusual Large Silver Pair Cased Verge
A late 17th Century English verge with unusual four wheel train and twenty four hour dial in silver pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement with tulip pillars. Unusual fusee and chain, the lower half cut for the chain allowing only four turns, worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. The centre wheel rotates once every two hours. Extra wheel added to the train so that the plain steel balance beats at a normal rate. Pierced and engraved winged cock with mask, pierced and engraved foot and plate for silver regulator disc. Unusual white enamel dial marked twice from 1 to 12 in Roman numerals and 15 to 60 in Arabic numerals indicating 24 hours, gold hands. Matching silver pair cases, silver pendant and bow, the inner with apertures for winding and regulation, maker's mark “IW” in a rectangle.
A very unusual watch, the special fusee and train to allow the minute hand to rotate once every two hours. The fine white enamel dial probably a later purpose made replacementCirca 1695£5,500.00 Read more
