calendar watch;
watch-case
- Museum number
- 1992,0514.1
- Description
-
OCTAGONAL GILT-BRASS AND SILVER CASED VERGE WATCH WITH DATE INDICATOR.
:
MOVEMENT:
Octagonal gilt-brass plates with four pierced Egyptian pillars. Fusee with chain drives a three-wheel train terminating with a verge escapement. Ratchet and click set-up replaced. Pinned-on balance cock pierced and engraved with foliate scrolls.
:
DIAL & HAND:
Gilt-brass octagonal dial-plate, finely engraved with scrolling foliage with two rabbits at the top flanking a calendar aperture. Applied silver dial with an engraved chapter-ring of Roman hours I-XII and arrow-head half-hour marks between two circles, the inner calibrated for hours. The central area is finely engraved with a depiction of Christ and Mary Magdalene at the Supper of Simon the Pharisee. Blued-steel hand.
:
CASE:
Elongated octagonal gilt-brass and silver case with hinged back and hinged lid. Gilt-brass band with upper and lower mouldings enclosing an applied silver band engraved with foliate scrolls, nude figures and putti. The central panel on the outside of the lid depicts Christ Washing St. Peter's Feet. The surrounding panels show Hope, St. John, Charity, Prudence, St. Luke and Faith as well as two panels with foliage. The back has a central panel showing Christ at the Last Supper, with surrounding panels depicting Fortitude, St. Mark, Patience, Temperance, St. Matthew and Justice and with two panels of foliate scrolls. The inside of both lid and back is decorated around the side panels with stippled foliate scrolls. The central panel of the back is engraved with a plain shield. The inside of the lid is engraved with a coat of arms. Cast foliate pendant and turned finial.
- Production date
- 1615-1620
- Dimensions
-
Length: 52 millimetres (case excluding pendant)
-
Width: 37 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- The engraved arms are: a chevron between three cronels, an annulet for difference; crest: on a wreath, a sea-horse sejant. The arms of the Wiseman family of Felsted, Essex are: sable, a chevron ermine between three cronels argent.
Notes:
Wood, Curiosities p.242-243 cites Gentleman's Magazine for 1803 which describes another octagonal watch by Bull - to be checked.
:
Another gilt-brass and silver cased octagonal watch by Edmund Bull sold Sotheby's 3rd November 1991, lot 288. This one also engraved with religious subjects and with the same stippled finish on the inside of the lid and back.
:
Another watch by this maker in the Victoria & Albert Museum [reg.no. 418.1893]- see Hayward, ENGLISH WATCHES. HMSO London 1969. pl.5. Oval gilt-brass case; gilt-brass dial with applied silver chapter-ring. Dial engraved with scrolling foliage and with a figure og Minerva? at the top. Applied silver band to the case with engraved human figures. Potence-plate with an engraved foliate border.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Latest: 3 (2017)
- Associated events
-
Associated Event: Christ washing St Peter's Feet
-
Associated Event: Christ and Mary Magdalene at the Supper of Simon the Pharisee
- Acquisition date
- 1992
- Acquisition notes
- Formerly in the Stevens family [see Curator's Comment]
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1992,0514.1
