Leather-covered gilt-brass cased verge clock-watch

Description — British Museum

Movement frame: Circular gilt-brass plates with five baluster pillars. There are two separate bridges on the dial side of the pillar-plate. Engraved decoration around the verge aperture. MAINSPRING & BARREL Gilt-brass barrel with snap-in cap and riveted steel hook. The original ratchet and click set-up has been replaced by a tangent-screw system. Fusee & stop-work: Gilt-brass fusee with gut line and English stop-work. Train: Three wheel going train, the replaced second wheel and contrate pinion recessed into the pillar-plate and running in a separate bridge. The motion work is not original. Escapement & balance: Verge escapement with all the components, including the potence, counter-potence and balance cock replaced. Striking train: Powered by a fixed barrel with a pierced and engraved foliate band. The mainspring with geared stop-work on the pillar plate, the wheel and pinion now replaced. Five wheel train of solid wheels terminating with a sixth roller pinion running in a adjustable bearing plug. The fourth wheel and fifth pinion are recessed into the pillar plate and run in a separate bridge. Warned release with pierced steel locking and release gates. Count-wheel control, the silver count-wheel engraved 1-12 around a central rosette. The original strike silent lever is now missing and is replaced by a non-functioning piece of mainspring steel. Dial & hand: Gilt-brass dial plate with an engraved border of leaves to surround the pinned-on dial. Four lugs around the outside engage in recesses in the case band. The present brass dial with an outer chapter ring with Roman hours I-XII, triple arrow-head half-hour marks and a double circle surrounding an engraved landscape with a river, an angler and a castle, is a later replacement. The hand is also a replacement. Cases: Gilt-brass inner case, the band pierced and engraved with scrolling foliage incorporating hounds, a rabbit, a bird etc. The inside of the case is gilded all over and there is no square for the bell which does not appear to be original and is cracked. The glazed bezel is split at the hinge and is engraved S-N for strike silent. This bezel is very likely a replacement for a solid lid. Later outer leather covered brass case with gilt rims. Around the band and bezel a series of holes allow the sound of the bell to escape.