$2,185
J. P. Stevens & Bro., Atlanta, GA, made by Aurora, No. 48929, circa 1885.Fine and very rare, 14K rose gold, hunting-cased, keyless watch with a patented regulator. Four-body, "bassine et filets", triple-hinged by "J.P. Stevens & Bro", No. 22427, engine-turned, front with a blank crest, gold hinged cuvette. White enamel with painted Roman numerals, outer minute ring with 5-minute Arabic markers, sunk subsidiary seconds. Blued steel "Spade" hands. 18 size, nickel, full plate, elaborately damascened, 15 jewels, the top ones in screwed set-tings, lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with screws, blued steel flat balance-springStevens patented micrometric regulator, patent pinion.Signed on dial, case and movementDiam. 50 mm. Notes J. P. Stevens bought part of the Springfield Watch Co. of Massachusetts and set-up a manufacturing business above his jewelry shop in Atlanta. He was a very resourceful watchmaker, and one of the first in the U.S. to employ an equidistant lever escapement, in which he used an aluminum pallet fork. In 1852 he patented his micrometric regulator, known among collectors as "Stevens regulator". It is little known fact that the same regulator was patented in France a year prior, by Adrien Philippe ofatek, Philippe & Cie.Stevens watches are rare.For patents, see the back of the catalogue.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2002-12-04