The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 333

Thomas Tompion, London, No. 73, case by William Sherwood, hallmarked 1696.Very fine, rare and important, 22 ct. gold, pair-cased two-train hour-striking clock watch.

C. Outer: two-body, gilt metal, leather-covered bezel and back with gold pin and porthole decoration, the centre with a pin monogram, a reversed B and MB conjoined. Tompion is known to have made a watch for a lady with these initials, and probably also one for Matthew Bent, Alderman of the City of London. Inner: two-body, gold, very finely pierced and engraved with inhabited foliage, a devil's mask at its base, polished centre, short pendant, loose ring. D. Gold, champlevé Roman chapters, inneralf-hour ring, outer minute ring and five-minute Arabic numerals in polished cartouches, matted ground, centre with Tompion's signature in a cartouche surrounded by garlands of flowers held by two putti. Blued-steel 'tulip and poker' hands. M. 36.1 mm o, gilt brass full plate, pierced tulip pillars, fusee and chain for the going train, verge escapement, plain steel three-arm faceted balance, blued-steel balance spring, single-footed gilt cock with streamers, pierced and engraved with asymmetricascrolling foliage, worm and wheel set-up, rack and pinion regulator with silver plate, striking from a fixed barrel with the visible part pierced and engraved, five-wheel train, the last pinion set in eccentric, adjustable bushing for speed regulation, silver count wheel on the back plate.Signed on the dial and the back plate, numbered on the back plate, on the outside of the inner case behind the pendant and inside behind the bell.Diam. 53.7 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, pages 112-113.