29,900 HKD
Tupman, Great Russel Street, Bloomsbury, No. 1558, with London hallmarks for 1828. Rare and very unusual 18 ct. gold, quarter repeating watch with offset seconds, special escapement and compensation. Four body, Empire, with engine-turned band, marked "L.C" (Louis Comptesse). Hinged gold cuvette. Gold engine-turned with Roman numerals on a polished chapter and offset subsidiary seconds. Blued steel "spade" bands. Notes This watch, made in the continental style, is fitted with the Savage two-pin escapement. In this escapement, invented circa 1815 and used by few makers until late in the 19th century, the unlocking is performed by two pins on the balance roller and the impulse is delivered by what would normally be the guard, or safety pin, in a conventional English lever escapement. Difficult to make, it was not mach used but, when properly constructed, had the merit of considerably reducing the unlocking friction and of impulsing the balance at a more advantageous radius. This escapement played an important part in establishing the superiority of the lever for pocket use.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1996-06-03
