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Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 270

Thomas Tompion, London, No. 4459, hallmarked 1710-11.Very fine and rare 22K gold pair cased watch.

CHF 20,000 - 25,000

USD 12,500 - 15,500

Sold: CHF 25,300

C. Outer: two-body, leather covered with brass studs, twist rope wire decoration on edges, inner: two-body, "bassine" with deep back part, polished, shutter on the winding aperture. D. Gold, champlevé radial Roman numerals, outer minute ring with five-minute Arabic markers on polished oval cartouches, center chased with a shield. Blued steel "beetle and poker" hands. M. 39,2 mm, gilt full-plate with Egyptian pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, plain brass balance with flat balance springsingle-footed cock with streamers and almost straight foot, pierced and engraved with symmetrical stylized foliage, shell in the neck, stamped with serial number underneath, rack and pinion regulator with silver plate.Signed on dial and movement.Diam. 53 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3 - 15
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

Thomas Tompion (1637-1713)Certainly the most famous English clockmaker, and the man responsible for the rise to supremacy of English horology in the 18th century. He became a brother of the Clockmakers' Company in 1671, and in 1674 moved to premises in Water Lane, where he conducted business for the rest of his life. That same year he met Robert Hooke, who sought his help in proving that his invention of the balance spring was prior to Huygens'. This brought Tompion to the notice of Charles II and he rapidly rose to a pr-eminent position. He made the first clock for the Greenwich Observatory in 1676. In 1695, Tompion collaborated with Booth and Houghton in patenting an escapement with a horizontal escape wheel, acclaimed as the forerunner of the cylinder. Two equation clocks, supplied to William III probably in the 1690's are still at Buckingham Palace. In 1703, Tompion was elected Master of the Clockmakers' Company. Some time between 1680 and 1685, Tompion started to number his production, being apparently thefirst maker to do so. Around 1711, Tompion took George Graham into partnership and so continued until the end of his life.