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Archive of Sold Items

Showing 289–300 of 1133 results

Rare Napoleonic Automaton Verge

A rare late 18^th Century verge automaton depicting the battle of Arcola in silver pair cases. Full plate gilt fusee movement. Finely pierced and engraved bridge cock with large diamond endstone, plain three arm gilt balance with blue steel spiral hairspring. Silver regulator dial with blue steel indicator. White enamel dial, small subsidiary of Arabic numerals, later blue steel hands. The lower half of the dial in polychrome enamel depicting the battle of Arcola. Napoleon on the left bearing a flag, riding a black horse onto the bridge followed by his troops. On the right Croatian and Austrian forces firing cannon. In the centre of the bridge a semi-circular opening reveals a rotating disc painted with soldiers, cannon and mounted horsemen appearing to march across as the watch runs. Above the scene the text “Bataille bei Arcola gewonnen von Bonaparte – d16ten Novbr 1795”. Well fitted in contemporary English pair cases.

Although signed London the movement is probably French. It is unusual to find scenes on watches depicting precise historical events. The battle took place in Italy during November 1795. On the 16th, frustrated at the inability of his forces to take Arcole, Napoleon is said to have seized a tricolour and led Augereau’s forces forward for a new and ultimately successful assault on the bridge of Arcole over the Alpone River

Circa 1796

£4,300.00 Read more
Silver Pair Cased Verge

A late 18^th Century English verge in silver pair cases. Full plate fusee movement with fusee and chain. Pierced and engraved cock with a small representation of an urn, silver regulator disc. Plain three arm steel balance, blue steel spiral hairspring. Convex white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, blue steel beetle and poker hands. Matching silver pair cases, silver pendant and bow, maker's mark “WD”.

In excellent overall condition. Possibly signed for Catherine Collett, the widow of William Collett. The Colletts were a family of watchmakers based in Uxbridge, a market town and staging post at the time to the west of London. In December 1794 their premises were burgled. William Collett died before the Old Bailey trial in January 1795 when the perpetrator, Michael Love, was found guilty and sentenced to death. The transcript of the trial is online and the will of William Collett accompanies the watch and can be viewed at the National Archives in Kew

Hallmarked London 1797

£580.00 Read more
Silver Pair Cased English Verge

A late 18^th Century English verge in silver pair cases. Full plate gilt keywind fusee movement, engraved bell shaped cock. Unusual plain five arm steel balance with blue steel spiral hairspring, gilt Bosley regulator. Convex white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, fine pierced gold hands. Matching silver pair cases, silver pendant and bow, maker's mark “IE” in an oval.

Hallmarked Chester 1797

£1,050.00 Read more
Regulator Dial Verge with Provenance

A late 18^th Century English verge with regulator dial in silver pair cases containing a watchpaper giving the provenance within one family. Full plate fire gilt fusee movement. Pierced and engraved masked cock, large diamond endstone, silver regulator disc. Plain three arm steel balance, blue steel spiral hairspring. Lateral steel stop lever acting on the contrate wheel. White enamel regulator dial, minutes indicated around the edge by Arabic numerals. Subsidiaries for hours in Roman numerals and seconds in Arabic numerals, fine pierced gold hands. Matching silver pair cases, silver pendant and bow, maker's mark “TC” in a rectangle. In the outer case a watchpaper written by Eric Hodgkinson, the great, great, grandson of the original owner giving the provenance since it was made.

The watchpaper details the watch being passed down through the generations. The first world war interrupted this when Lieutenant William Hodgkinson died with his Canadian pilot, Captain Lynn Campbell, on 9 October 1918, little more than a month before the end of the war. He joined the King's Liverpool Regiment in 1915. He later entered the Royal Flying Corps eventually serving in the 62nd Squadron of the RAF.

Hallmarked London 1799

£1,375.00 Read more
Gold and Enamel Pearl Set Verge Pocket Watch

A late 18^th Century French verge in a pearl set gold and enamel case. Full plate gilt fusee movement. Finely pierced and engraved bridge cock with steel coqueret, plain three arm gilt balance with blue steel spiral hairspring. Silver regulator dial with gilt indicator. Winding through the signed white enamel dial, Arabic numerals, gilt hands. Gold consular case, the bezels set with a row of large split pearls, green enamel back.

Circa 1800

£2,900.00 Read more
Rare Silver Virgule Repeater

A late 18^th Century Swiss quarter repeating virgule in a silver open face case. Gilt three quarter plate keywind movement, suspended going barrel, polished steel quarter repeat work above. Plain cock with polished steel regulator, plain three arm gold balance with blue steel spiral hairspring. Rare virgule escapement, brass escape wheel (two teeth repaired). Push pendant quarter repeating on two polished steel square section gongs. Later white enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals and an inner chapter of red numerals for 13 to 24 hours, blue steel Breguet hands. Engine turned and engraved silver open face case with ribbed middle, winding through the gilt metal cuvette.

A rare opportunity to buy an example of this rare escapement which also has visible repeating work

Circa 1800

£2,350.00 Read more
Centre Seconds Calendar Verge

A late 18^th Century French centre seconds verge with date calendar in a nickle open face case. Full plate gilt fusee movement. Finely pierced and engraved bridge cock with steel coqueret, plain three arm gilt balance with blue steel spiral hairspring. Silver regulator dial with blue steel indicator. Small lateral stop lever under the bezel at three o'clock. Winding through the signed white enamel dial with centre seconds, small chapter for the time with Arabic numerals and another for the day of the month above, blue steel hands. Plain open face nickle case with ribbed middle.

Circa 1800

£850.00 Read more
Silver French Alarm Verge Pocket Watch

A late 18^th Century French verge alarm in a silver open face case. Full plate gilt fusee movement. Finely pierced and engraved bridge cock with steel coqueret, plain three arm gilt balance with blue steel spiral hairspring. unusual long polished regulator, large index engraved on the plate. The alarm striking a bell in the case with two polished steel hammers. Wound through the signed white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, blue steel gilt hands. Deep plain drum shaped silver open face case. Opening the back reveals the pierced and engraved inner domed lined with red silk, maker's mark “IPW” in a rectangle.

Circa 1800

£1,900.00 Read more
Bracelet Mounted with Watch Keys

A belcher bracelet mounted with six gilt early 19^th Century pocket watch keys and an agate set seal. Two of the keys are ratchet types and three set with semi-precious stones.

Circa 1800

£950.00 Read more
Decorative Watch Keys

Twelve 19^th Century pocket watch keys, two chains and a fob. The keys are mainly gilt metal but include a small gold and enamel ratchet key and a large example in the form of a door key. Two gilt chains and a large 10 carat stone set swivel fob.

Circa 1800

£1,500.00 Read more
Gilt English Duplex

A late 18^th Century English Duplex in a gilt open face case. Full plate fire gilt movement with gilt dust cover cut away to reveal the table of the pierced and engraved cock with diamond endstone and silver regulator disc. Fusee and chain. Plain three arm steel balance, blue steel spiral hairspring. Duplex escapement with ruby locking roller, gilt escape wheel, pivots with endstones. White enamel dial with subsidiary seconds, Roman numerals, blue steel seconds hand, gold hands. Plain gilt metal open face case, maker's mark “GR” in a rectangle.

In excellent overall condition.

Circa 1800

£930.00 Read more
Triple Cased Verge for the Turkish Market

A late 18^th Century English verge made for the Turkish market in three gilt and shagreen cases. Full plate fire gilt movement, small Egyptian pillars with pierced gallery. Pierced and engraved cock, silver regulator disc with Turkish markings. White enamel dial signed in Turkish script, Turkish numerals, blue steel hands. Plain gilt inner case, , maker's mark “IR ” and number corresponding to that on the movement. Gilt metal outer silver case richly engraved with a floral display on the back. Third case covered in light coloured shagreen decorated with gilt pique pins.

In excellent overall condition. The watch is of English manufacture but has been produced for Julien Le Roy, the famous French maker. It is possible it may never have been in France but sent directly to Turkey for sale.

Circa 1800

£3,750.00 Read more