Verge watch with alarm in a gilt-brass and silver case

Description — British Museum

Verge watch with alarm in a gilt-brass and silver case. Case The gilt-brass case consists of a skeletonised band with an upper and lower moulding and and hinge-block at 12 and a small finial at 6. The finial is a later replacement and the cast pendant is badly worn. Screwed to the band is pierced and engraved silver band decorated with scrolling foliage and flowers with grotesque bird's heads and a grotesque dog's head at the four ends. Within the foliate design are a boar, two hounds and a hare/rabbit. The back is covered by a gilded inner dome which is drilled for winding and carries the bell. The heavy layer of gilding gives the impression that it is not original but it may well be genuine. The hinged back has a gilt-brass bezel with hatched decoration. Into this is soldered a silver panel very finely engraved in high relief on the outside with a depiction of the Last Supper, and on the inside, in low relief shows the Last Judgement. The hinged lid is constructed in a similar manner to the back. The engraved scenes show, on the front in high relief The Washing of the Feet and on the inside, in low relief the crucifixion. The Bell is secured to a dome in the back of the case by a screw into a square boss. Two holes for winding. Extensively filed on the back. On the inside next to one winding hole a pattern . The poor fit and the rough holes for winding suggest that it may be a later replacement. Dial Silver dial-plate with three feet with decorative ends and four lugs. At the top a brazed-on hinge block with two-elements. The reverse of the dial is decorated with a border of gadroon decoration. On the dial side the plate is superbly engraved with a scrolling foliate design emanating from the winged angel heads merging at 3 and 9 into two grotesque male and female human figures. At the top a nude figure reclines with its back (probably male) to the onlooker resting the left arm on a book and holding a sword in the right hand. The recessed centre of the dial is created by a riveted-on brass disc which is overlaid by the gold chapter ring. The chapter ring has blue enamelled roman hour numerals between two circles with + half-hour marks; the enamel for the chapters etc is a translucent dark blue. Around the edge of the chapter ring are a series of ovals filled with opaque blue enamel of a paler colour than the chapters. The chapter-ring is effectively a canister shape being hollowed out inside and underneath. In the central recess rotates the alarm-setting disc of silver with a pierced central area decorated with scrolling foliage and flowers. Around the edge a solid ring engraved 1-12 with dots for half-hours. Riveted at 12 a steel pierced pointer to show the time. The alarm time is set by a steel hand at the centre, pinned to the alarm-setting disc arbor, which is filed to a rectangular section. Movement Circular gilt-brass plates with four pierced Egyptian pillars. There is a hole in the front-plate traversed by a bridge for the recessed wheels of the alarm train. Engraved foliate decoration around the verge aperture. The rivet heads for the potence and counter potence are engraved as flowers. Main-spring & set-up Gilt-brass barrel with an upper and lower flange, dovetailed cap and riveted steel hook.

Curator's comments — British Museum

The two panels are later modifications to the original watch case but are none the less of a similar period. The fitting is not particularly neat and it seems probable that they are taken from a box or even another watch. The religious scenes from these panels do not match with the more secular iconography of the band and dial.