Christopher Gould Fecit

Christopher Gould Fecit, circa 1650. ' . Rare and fine small oval silver "Puritan" verge watch. Later, two-body, plain, polished silver with close cover and loose-ring pendant. Oval, located by four lugs, engraved chapter-ring with Roman numerals, half and quarter hour marks. Single bluedsteel hand. Oval gilt-brass full plate with early Egyptian pillars, fusee with gut line, short train, plain steel two-arm balance without spring, irregular pattern oval balance cock pierced with foliage and retained by a pin, matching worm-and-wheel set-up brackets (most unusual to be in gilt-brass rather than blued-steel), silver indicating disc. Signed on the hack plate. Dm. 40 x 34 mm. Notes The sobriquet "Puritan" has always been applied to absolutely plain watches made in England during the second quarter of the 17th century. Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, Britain was ruled by Oliver Cromwell under the title of Protector. Puritanism was the ethos of the day with any ostentatious display of wealth being greatly frowned upon. In fact, the plain "Puritan" style, was introduced circa 1640, as a result of the drain upon the finances of the Court and Lifistocracy caused by the cost of supporting the King in the civil war. It is well recorded that much jewellery and objects of precious metal were scrapped to realise funds; a plain silver cased watch would therefore have represented a much cheaper alternative, and be more in keeping with the austerity of the time.