59,800 CHF
The Order of the Garter. John Kentish, Junior, London, No. 1073, hallmarked 1770-71. Very fine and rare 22K gold and painted on enamel watch of noble provenance, with center-seconds, eccentric dial, and stop feature By Richard Palmer of 2 Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell, two-body, back centered by painted on enamel coat-of-arms with lion rampant flanked by two wings and surrounded by a garter with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense", the whole surmounted by a crown, the top with translucent imperial blue enamel ribbon, the bottom with two crossed fern leaves, bezels with translucent imperial blue enamel floral pattern, winding aperture concealed by a spring-loaded shutter, gilt brass dust cap. Off-white enamel with eccentric radial Roman chapter set at the top with outer minute dot divisions and five-minute Arabic markers, outermost seconds track. Blued steel "beetle and poker" hands. Notes A rare watch of very high quality. The movement is superbly finished, even in its details. The stop lever acts directly on the amplitude controlling pin protruding directly from the balance staff, which is jeweled; another rare feature in such an early watch. The case is exceptionally well executed by one of the best London casemakers of the time.John Kentish, Jr. was in partnership with Mangaar and Allman until 1772. He went bankrupt two years later. Hence, although the case was made a year before the dissolution of the partnership, the watch, which Kentish alone signed, must hav Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2003-10-11
