| Case | The outer silver case with pierced and engraved hinged band of scrolling foliage, the lower section inhabited by birds with engraved border to the central cartouche. Engraved rural scene below the push button with punched crown and IB. The inner, with glazed hinged bezel and engraved border to pierced foliage, the band inhabited by birds and engraved with female portrait in period headwear above a basket of fruit. D shaped swivel pendant and polished centre exposing two winding holes, for going (engraved W) and alarm trains. Stamped ND conjoined beneath a crown (Nathaniel Delander). Bearing Tompions secret number of 4 dots against 6 and 1, beneath the alarm bell. |
| Dial | Silver champlevé dial with Roman numerals and diamond half hour divisions with arrow head blued steel indicator to the matted rotating disc with floral centre, showing the time via the inner band marked by arrows for the hour with line quarters and cross half hours, with blued poker alarm hand being set against the Arabic disc. |
| Movement | The fine gilt full plate movement with fusee to the verge escapement, three-arm steel balance with blued steel balance spring, decoratively pierced and engraved cock, with silver Arabic regulating disc and external worm for the set up, having tulip pillars with pierced and engraved alarm barrel, signed Tho: Tompion London. |
| Provenance | Time Museum Illinois USA inventory A64. Sothebys New York, Masterpieces from the Time Museum December 2nd 1999 lot 39. Sold $37,375. |
| Literature | Brittenâs Old clocks, Watches and their Makers, London 1982 9th Edition p.134, pl.80a & 80b. Thomas Tompion 300 years, 2013, Evans, Carter & Wright, p.56, 280, 614 & 616. |
| Dimensions | Case diameter 55mm. |
Thomas Tompion, London Circa 1683
An extremely rare silver pair cased verge alarm watch with Tompion’s secret numbering, no. 461.
Circa 1683
| Dimensions | Case diameter 55mm. |
| Case | The outer silver case with pierced and engraved hinged band of scrolling foliage, the lower section inhabited by birds with engraved border to the central cartouche. Engraved rural scene below the push button with punched crown and IB. The inner, with glazed hinged bezel and engraved border to pierced foliage, the band inhabited by birds and engraved with female portrait in period headwear above a basket of fruit. D shaped swivel pendant and polished centre exposing two winding holes, for going (engraved W) and alarm trains. Stamped ND conjoined beneath a crown (Nathaniel Delander). Bearing Tompions secret number of 4 dots against 6 and 1, beneath the alarm bell. |
| Dial | Silver champlevé dial with Roman numerals and diamond half hour divisions with arrow head blued steel indicator to the matted rotating disc with floral centre, showing the time via the inner band marked by arrows for the hour with line quarters and cross half hours, with blued poker alarm hand being set against the Arabic disc. |
| Movement | The fine gilt full plate movement with fusee to the verge escapement, three-arm steel balance with blued steel balance spring, decoratively pierced and engraved cock, with silver Arabic regulating disc and external worm for the set up, having tulip pillars with pierced and engraved alarm barrel, signed Tho: Tompion London. |
| Literature | Britten’s Old clocks, Watches and their Makers, London 1982 9th Edition p.134, pl.80a & 80b.
Thomas Tompion 300 years, 2013, Evans, Carter & Wright, p.56, 280, 614 & 616. |
| Provenance | Time Museum Illinois USA inventory A64.
Sothebys New York, Masterpieces from the Time Museum December 2nd 1999 lot 39. Sold $37,375. |
Tompions first series of numbered watches started circa 1681, this watch can be dated to 1683 as we know that 406 was completed in 1683 and 563 completed in 1684. There are only two numbered alarm watches recorded by Thomas Tompion, numbers 461 and 1290, which has a later outer case. Unusually, the inner and outer cases of 461 were made by two of Tompions watchcasemakers and they fit and match perfectly. Only eight non-timepiece watches are recorded which include numbers 20 and 67 although these are coach watches with alarms.