English silver pair-case watch watch of fairly slim calibre, hallmarked London 1800. The gilt brass
full-plate movement is unsigned and unnumbered but well finished, with finely pierced cock (motifs include
an anchor) and chased surround to the polished steel adjuster-plate. Stop-work (hack) lever, now disconnected,
under the dial at right. Convex white enamel dial with offset arabic chapter-ring and large overlapping
subsidiary seconds dial. Copper hands. Highly domed bullseye glass. Plain silver cases (maker's
mark W.L.) Diameter 60mm.
Until about 1820, watches with second-hands were scarce and generally
intended for particular usages, either maritime or medical. As this watch has no claim to horological
sophistication it probably belongs to the latter class. The dial painting is unusually precise for
this early date. The damage to the dial is puzzling, the watch being almost pristine in every other
way; it looks very much as if somebody has tried to take a bite out of the dial! The curved plate
which covers the upper half of the movement is not a barrel-bridge but a dummy which can be removed without
any disturbance to the working parts; the screws which hold it do not match those used elsewhere in
the movement, and it was probably added by a local ‘watchmaker’ who had bought the movement ready-made
(this was already common practice) and intended to put his own name on it.
|
