John Keneble

John Keneble, Frith Street, Soho, London, No. 1455, Swiss, attributable to the workshop of Jaquet-Droz, made for the Chinese Market, circa 1790. "The Evening" Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, oval pearl set centre second watch. Three body oval with split-pearl set bezels, band, pendant and bow, the inside scalloped edge with bright red and green flinque enamelled champleve floral decoration, the back enamel panel with a fine painted scene after the engraving of a painting by William Hamilton, R.A., depicting "The Evening". Hinged gold engine-turned cuvette. White enamel oval with Roman numerals and outer second and minute ring, enhance by a finely painted decoration of rose grlands. Gold "spade" hands. Oval gilt brass, bar calibre with engraved balance cock, the going barrel bridge engraved on the border, later Swiss lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, diamond end-stone, blued steel balance spring with terminal curve. Signed on the back plate. Dim. 96 x 60 mm. Notes This watch is of such high quality that it was improved with a precision escapement (luring the third part of the 19th century. John Keneble is not recorded as a maker; he was certainly a dealer, trading with the China. The decoration of the watch and the layout of the movement enable to attr ibute it to the workshop of Jaquet-Droz. The enamel painting on the hack panel is after the engraving of a painting by William Hamilton R.A. Although undoubtedly made in Geneva, the craftsmans Read more…