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| Index No. A5901 | Early English Sun and Moon Verge |
| A fine late 17th Century English verge with silver champleve Sun and Moon dial in silver pair cases. Deep full plate fire gilt movement, decorative tulip pillars. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Pierced and engraved cock with small irregular pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Silver champleve dial, Arabic numerals for the minutes, blue steel poker hand. The hours are indicated by a waxed champleve silver disc which rotates once every 24 hours. This is viewed through a semi-circular aperture and has engraved on one half the gold sun and on the other the moon. At the edge of the semi-circle the hours are marked from six through twelve and back to six in Roman numerals. As the sun disappears at the right of the aperture the moon appears at the left. Engraved in the lower half of the dial a depiction of Chronos pulling a chariot. Matching silver pair cases, split bezel, silver ring pendant and bow, square seven joint hinge to the outer. Maker's marks "Io" and "W? To both cases. | ||
| Signed | Edward Orton London | |
| Condition | Circa | 1685 |
| Case | Excellent. | ||
| Dial | Excellent. | Diameter | 54 mm |
| Movement | Excellent. | Depth | 18.5 mm |
| In fine overall condition. The marks in the case are interesting in that they are repeated on the movement. The cases are marked "W?" above "Io". The pillar plate of the movement is also stamped "Io", in all three instances the "I" being deeply struck. The back of the silver champleve dial is struck "WI" twice. This would appear to be William Jaques mark, one of the most prolific watch case makers of the period. The marks on the back of the dial probably just indicate that he supplied the plate to the engraver with the feet soldered on and the semi-circle cut out. Whether they were put there to show who the plate belonged to or were just practice strikes is not clear. The back of silver champleve dials are almost never marked. The "Io" mark is perhaps even more interesting. It would seem almost certain that this is the watchmakers mark, indicating the watch was supplied to Edward Orton almost complete (unless it is his own mark). Further research would be needed to resolve this. Edward Orton, apprenticed 1680, free of the Clockmakers Company 1687 - 1709. See Pocket Watches by Reinhard Meis page 98 for similar watches. |
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