Franco Papillon in Firenze

Franco Papillon in Firenze, circa 1690. Fine and rare large silver pair cased early balance spring watch with six hour dial. Outer double body, chagrin covered with silver pique work decoration (slightly damaged). Inner double body, bassine, polished with split bezel and loose ring pendant. Silver engine-turned six hour with Roman numerals, the centre engraved with scrolled decoration. Blued steel "tulip" hand. Hinged gilt brass full plate with Egyptian pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain steel threearm balance, short balance spring and large English style gilt brass cock pierced and engraved with inhabited foliage. Signed on the dial and back plate. In very good condition. Diam. 71 mm. Notes The six hour dials, derived from the monastical time, were mainly used in Italy from the 15th to the 17th century. Later, while the North of Italy, like France and other European count r ies, adopted the regular duodecimal time, the centre and meridional parts of Italy were still using the six hour dials, until Napoleon imposed the duodecimal time after the conquest of the peninsula.