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| Index No. A6711 | Rare Gilt Pair Cased English Verge with Compass |
| A rare late 18th Century English verge with integral compass in gilt metal pair cases. Full plate fire gilt movement constructed with few steel parts. Pierced and engraved round cock, gilt regulator on top plate below the plain three arm gilt balance. Fine signed white enamel dial with small subsidiary of Roman numerals, gold hands. Below this a glazed compass, the needle held by a small push piece that extends through the bezel at six o'clock. The case latch unusually at five o'clock. Matching gilt metal pair cases, a slide on the outer bezel can be moved so that the compass needle is either held secure or allowed to move freely. Maker's mark "NTW" in a rectangle. | ||
| Signed | Benjn Webb - London 146 - By the Kings Patent. | |
| Circa | 1800 | |
| Diameter | 58 mm | ||
| Unlike some of the later Swiss watches that included a compass, which was of little use beyond its novelty value, this piece is an attempt at a usable instrument. The movement uses as few steel components as possible. The screws, case latch and balance are of gilt brass. The design also tries to minimize the magnetic effect of the largest steel components, the mainspring, barrel arbor and chain, by placing the compass centrally above the barrel. |
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