9,200 CHF
“Six Day Duration” William Anthony, London, No. 1940. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1790. Fine and extremely rare, large, gilt brass, colored paste and carved agate pocket watch with experimental double spring barrels to provide longer duration, working with a single fusee and chain and with duplex escapement. Two-body, engraved with swags, the bezels set with red, green and white pastes, agate back carved with a stylized flower. Gilt brass dust cover. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, Arabic quarter hour numerals, large subsidiary seconds. Gold “spade” hands. 50 mm., frosted gilt full plate, ringed cylindrical pillars, foliate engraved backplate furniture, dual-wound twin spring barrels secured by a semi-circular bridge and sharing a single chain and fusee, maintaining power, duplex escapement, three-arm balance with peripheral timing screws, blued steel flat balance spring, diamond endstone, index regulator. Dial and movement signed. Diam. 74 mm. Notes This fascinating and possibly unique watch has a specially constructed movement that incorporates two spring barrels. Both barrels are wound with a single chain connected to a single fusee. This gives the watch a duration of approximately six days. The use of the duplex escapement is particularly appropriate as it needs greater power to allow for the large balance arc and high number of vibrations. The use of two spring barrels in a watch of this date is highly unusual although typical of
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2005-10-16
