A10901

Early Silver Champleve Dial Verge by Halsted

£4,500.00

Signed   Ro Halsted  - London
Circa   1680
Diameter   54 mm       Depth   19mm

1 in stock

Description

A 17th Century English calendar verge with silver champleve dial by Robert Halsted in silver pair cases.  Deep full plate fire gilt movement with broad elaborate pierced and engraved pillars.  Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates.  Hollow fusee winding square on the tapered shaft of the great wheel.  Pierced and engraved cock depicting two birds on the table, very small vestigial wings, pierced and engraved foot with irregular edge.  Plain steel balance, pierced and engraved plate with arrow indication to the silver regulator disc. Signed silver champleve dial, small circular aperture at six for the gilt date ring.  Chased and engraved centre depicting drums, flags and weapons, Roman and Arabic numerals, fine blue steel tulip and poker hands.  Plain silver pair cases, silver pendant and ring bow, split bezel for the glass.  The outer with five joint square hinge, early trapped button to the case latch spring.

In excellent overall condition.  Robert Halsted at the Crown and Dial in Fleet Street between Water Lane and Salisbury Court,  1662, free of the Clockmakers Company 1668 until retirement.  Thomas Tompion's premises were only thirty yards from Halsted and there are thought to be clear links between the two makers.  The hour hand is unusual having a hexagonal fixing.  The extra work this entailed may have been considered justified to ensure changing of the date stays synchronised.