Thomas Vernon

A FINE GEORGE I/II GOLD VERGE QUARTER-REPEATING REPOUSSE PAIR-CASED POCKET WATCH THOMAS VERNON, LONDON, THE REPOUSSE OUTER CASE BY AUGUSTIN HECKEL, CIRCA 1725-30 The gilt full plate single fusee movement with four columnar fronted pillars pinned through the backplate, stop-iron block and verge escapement regulated by sprung three-arm brass balance with Tompion type regulation, the quarter repeat-work operated via plunger to the suspension post sounding the hours followed by the quarters with a single pivoted hammer engaging with a bell fitted to the interior of the case, the backplate with fine symmetric foliate scroll pierced, chased and engraved balance cock with faceted diamond endstone and grotesque mask at the junction with conforming pierced broad wedge-shaped scroll engraved foot, flanked by silvered regulation disc set within adjacent applied scroll engraved panel infill opposing signature Tho. Vernon, LONDON and numbered 280 , with gilt brass dust cover similarly signed T: Vernon, LONDON and numbered 280 , the slightly convex white enamel Roman numeral dial with Arabic five minutes to outer track and finely worked beetle and poker hands, the inner case with fine leafy strapwork pierced and engraved deep fretwork band interrupted by a grotesque mask at six o'clock opposing suspension post and bow at engraved with repeat serial number 280 at the base at twelve o'clock, the outer case repousse decorated with a Classical scene possibly depicting Aeneas Departing from Dido within repeating S-scroll surround adorned with figures emblematic of the four seasons at the quadrants with fine pieced foliate scroll fretwork panels between, the bezel with circumference pierced and engraved with four conforming into a matted ground adorned with symbols emblematic of the signs of the zodiac Libra, Sagittarius, Aries and Cancer, and with moulded collar to outer edge, the inner case makers mark WS only. Provenance: The Leonard Fuller Collection. Purchased from Camerer Cuss and Company, London, 7 th August 1974 for £1,400. Thomas Vernon is recorded in Loomes, Brian Clockmakers of Britain 1286-1700 as born in 1684, apprenticed to Charles Halstead in 1701 and gaining his freedom of the Clockmakers' Company in 1708. Vernon was made a Company Assistant in 1726 when he was noted as trading at the sign of the Ship in Fleet Street (believed to have been Charles Gretton's former premises); he died in 1731 and was buried at St. Dunstan's in the West on 14 th October of that year. The repousse decoration to the outer case is signed for Augustin Heckel who was of born in Augsburg before coming to London sometime between 1715 and 1720. He set-up business as a watch case engraver, painter and draughtsman; considered one of the finest casemakers of the period he worked until circa 1770.