John Pepys Silver-Gilt Pair-Cased Pocket Watch, English Circa 1700
A rare silver-gilt pair-cased pocket watch, maker John Pepys English circa 1700 1.85 in. diameter, 2.44 in. high, 2.36 in. case diameter. A rare silver-gilt pair-cased pocket watch, maker John Pepys. English Circa 1700. silver-gilt pair cased watch, the gilding almost completely worn off. Silver-gilt champleve dial, blued steel beetle and poker hands. Signed " Pepys» above the centre in a cartouche surrounded by foliate scrolling and surmounted by a cherub's head, and signed "London" below in a cartouche surrounded by foliate scrolling and surmounted by two urns. Movement with verge escapement, fusee and chain drive. Footed, pierced and engraved. balance cock, the table with a foliate pattern centred by a shell, the foot below a mask on the table. Pierced fret with head of exotic bird forming pointer for regulator dial. Signed on the backplate "John Pepys London". Straight, square column pillars, ornate fusee stop. Mainspring regulator under spring barrel. Reference: John Pepys was apprenticed to Jno Harris in 1672, and free of the Clockmakers Company in. 1686; he was appointed master in 1707. He had four sons who were all apprenticed to him. He died in 1715. Represented with a watch in the British Museum and a clock in the Weatherfield Collection. Provenance: Purchased by Norman Dean from Lawrence Gould in December 1971 for 260 pounds, restored by Camerer Cuss & Co in December 1975 for 43 pounds. Dimensions: 1.85 in. diameter, 2.44 in. high, 2.36 in. case diameter.
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Register Now to view actual auction price for this item.
- Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.
For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.
Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today. - Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.
- Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
- Verge Escapement - A verge escapement is an early mechanical escapement used in clocks and other timekeeping devices. It is an early form of the escapement mechanism, which is used to regulate the movement of the hands of a clock or watch. The verge escapement consists of a vertical shaft called the verge, which is mounted on the clock's main plate. Attached to the verge are two pallets, which engage with the teeth of the escape wheel. As the escape wheel turns, the pallets alternately lock and release it, allowing the movement of the clock to be regulated. The verge escapement was widely used in early mechanical clocks, but it was eventually replaced by the more accurate and reliable anchor escapement.
- Cartouche - An ornamental panel in the form of of a shield, oval or rectangular scroll with curling edges. It may be carved into the back of a chair or the top of a sideboard, or present on a piece of silver or jewellery, and contain the initials of the original owner, heraldic symbols, or some other inscription, such as the details of a presentation.
In ceramics the term defines the central area of a vase or similar with a decorative border in one of the shapes above, into which a decorative scene or figures have been painted. - Engraving - The method of decorating or creating inscriptions on silver and other metal objects by marking the surface with a sharp instrument such as a diamond point or rotating cutting wheel.
This item has been included into following indexes:
