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A gold virgule pocket watch,…
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
22-Oct-2024
Lot No.
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Description:
A gold virgule pocket watch, maker Percival and James English Circa 1824 5.3 cm diameter, 6.2 cm high. A gold virgule pocket watch, maker Percival and James. English Circa 1824. 18 carat gold open face watch. Engine turned case, central shield on back surrounded by a. belt and buckle. Short round pendant and round bow. Winding holes in the back of the inner. cover decorated with a foliate design and one with an arrow to show the direction to turn the. key to wind the movement, and the other hole marked "Hands". London hallmarks for 18. carat gold and for 1824. Casemaker's incuse mark ""IM", possibly for John Marsh of 35. Clerkenwell Green, listed in Grimwade as a casemaker. White enamel dial, black Roman hour numerals. Gold spade hands. Fusee drive, virgule escapement, plain circular pillars. Very different arced balance cock with. the table cut away in the middle and decorated on the outside edge with a foliate pattern, ruby. endstone. Foot solid, quite small and following the same arc lines as the table, again. decorated with a foliate pattern. Gilt brass three arm balance. Interesting, elevated ring under. the balance wheel on top of the backplate. Backplate otherwise plain apart from the signature. "W, Percival & J. James Woolwich No1456". Woolwich is an historic town in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London (where the Royal Observatory is) on the south side of the bank of the river Thames. Clutton and Daniels in their book "Watches" discuss the virgule escapement in not very. encouraging terms, suggesting that it is similar to the cylinder escapement but no. improvement on it. They say it was incapable of retaining any oil at its working surfaces and. soon sets if not oiled frequently, and it was difficult to construct. While it remained popular. on the Continent for about 20 years there were not many made in England. Provenance: Purchased from D. Robinson (now Farren-Price) jewellers of Edward Street, Brisbane for $500.00 in July 1979. Dimensions: 5.3 cm diameter, 6.2 cm high
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified