71,300 CHF
John Midnall in Fleet Street Fecit (London), circa 1625. Extremely rare, very small, silver, pre balance-spring, single-hand pendant watch with silver protective case. Two-body, oval "bassine", back chased and engraved with flowers, circular shuttle over the winding aperture, oval hinged bezel decorated en suite with circular aperture in the center for the dial protected by a crystal with gilt retaining ring, swivel pendant, loose ring. Outer: two-body, each made from two pieces soldered together, hinged (five links), polished, small loop-hook for locking . Oval, hinged, silver chased and engraved with flowers with applied circular silver hour chapter rig with Roman numerals and dot half-hour divisions, small four locating prongs. Blued steel "tulip" hand. Oval, 24,5 x17,2 mm, gilt full plate engraved around the border at the upper part, early pierced Egyptian pillars, fusee and cat-gut, verge escapement with circular foliot, small irregular pinned cock, short, three-wheel train, ratchet wheel and click mainspring set-up with elaborate blued steel clickSigned on the back plate.Dim. 36,7 x 22,9 mm Notes John Midnallwas one of the first members of the court of the Clockmakers Company, and warden in 1638. It seems that he specialized in small watches, very rare for the period and must have been esteemed by his contemporaries Oliver Cromwell, "Lord Protector of England", owned one of watches (now in the British Museum, bequeathed in 1874 by the Fellows Collection). The Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2001-10-13
