A gilt metal and polychrome enamel open-faced verge watch…
click the photo to enlarge
A gilt metal and polychrome enamel open-faced verge watch Continental circa 1810, gilt full-plate movement, verge fusee escapement, concealed beneath a decoratively pierced backplate, pierced balance cock engraved with floral scrolls, cylindrical pillars, white enamel dial, Arabic numerals and outer minute ring, with enamel painted scene of a maiden holding a basket in a classical setting, fancy gilt hands, case with an enamel miniature of a young lady picking berries against a blue enamel ground, diameter 52 mm.

You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.

Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item

When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
  • Polychrome - Made or finished in many colours. For furniture, it is used to indicated a painted finish.
  • Movement - The technical name for the workings of a clock or watch, and does not include the dial or case.
  • Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
  • Back Plate - On many types of clocks, the movement operates between two plates, usually made of brass, one at the back, and the other at the front, which forms a mount for the dial.

    On English bracket, mantle and table clocks the backplate was often visible through a glass door or panel from the late 17th century, and could be profusely engraved with scrolling decorations, flowers, foliage, birds, and figures. The engraving could also include the maker?s name.

    The amount of engraving reduced and became simpler as the 18th century progressed, and by 1800, had been reduced to a border, often with the maker's name in the centre. By the early 1800s all decoration had ceased, and only the maker's name was added, and by the Victorian era, most bracket, mantle and table clocks had no engraving.
  • Fusee - The fusee movement was used in clocks and pocket watches from the mid 17th century. The fusee is a cone shaped drum within the works that is linked to the barrel of the spring, usually by a length of chain.

    As the mainspring loses its tension over time, the cone shaped barrel compensates for this by increasing the tension, by pulling the mainspring tighter, thus ensuring the time remains constant.

    Use of the fusee in clocks was superseded by the "going barrel" in the mid 19th century and for pocket watches at the beginning of the 19th century.

    The fusee continued to be used in marine chronometers until the 1970s.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

Johan Mich Widman a Fridberg An 18ct gold open-faced quarter repeating watch Continental circa 1810, gilt full plate movement, signed Johan Mich Widman a Fridberg, verge fusee escapement, pierced balance cock, cylindrical pillars, white enamel dial, Arabic

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A 19th century Swiss engraved gold pocket watch, 3/4 plate lever movement by Stauffer Geneve, c.1870. Case cover stamped and numbered. Diameter 45 mm.

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

Patek Philippe An 18ct rose gold open-faced watch mvt 120883 case 232746 made in 1902, cal 19' lever movement, white enamel dial, red Arabic numerals, outer red minute track, subsidiary seconds dial, gold Louis XVI hands, polished case engraved with monogr

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A sterling silver open face pocket watch, engraved dial with Roman numerals and subsidary seconds dial, hallmarked Chester 1888 Jh, fusee movement engraved 34027, with key.

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.