$19,550
Albert H. Potter & Co. Geneva, No. 336. Produced in 1888. Very fine and rare, hunting cased, keyless, minute repeating, 18K yellow gold pocket watch. Three-body, "bassine", solid, polished, engraved dedication inside the cover, case back and cover with ornamental engravings. White enamel with painted radial Roman numerals, sunk subsidiary seconds dial. Blued steel "Breguet" hands. Cal. 43 mm (19’’’), rhodium-plated, 29 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance-spring. Repeating on gongs through activating slide on the band.Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 53 mm. Notes Albert H. Potter (1836-1908). Born in Mechanicville, New York, Albert Potter began his apprenticeship in 1852 in Albany. He then established himself in New York, where he made some thirty five three-quarter plate movements, part with lever and part with detent escapements, cased in gold, which he sold for $225 to $350. In 1861 he went to Cuba where he continued similar work for five years, adding to his designs a quarter repeater and a form of duplex escapement. Back in New York, he took out his first escapement patent in 1868 and soon afterwards moved to the West. By 1870 he had settled in Chicago. In 1872, he and his brother William Cleveland Potter, organised the firm Potter Brothers, which was dissolved in 1875. In October 1875, Potter took out patents on compensation balances and improvements in escapements for watches. While in C
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-12-01
