Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 14, 2017

LOT 219

MARKWICK MILITARY TROPHIES Markwick Markham, Borrell, London, No. 24394, made for the Islamic Market, with London hallmarks for 1813. Fine, 18K gold and enamel, triple-cased watch.

CHF 20,000 - 30,000

HKD 160,000 - 240,000 / USD 20,000 - 30,000

Outer double body, glazed, with scallop edge, the bezels with champleve enamel decoration. Double body second with scallop edge, bezels with champleve formal decoration, the back with rose-diamond and emerald set finely chased military trophies. Inner double body, bassine, the bezel with champleve enamelled decoration, the back with painted military trophies against a red flinque enamel, outer pierced and champleve enamelled foliage. White enamel with Turkish numerals. Gold "poker and beetle" hands. Gilt brass full plate with pirced and engraved Egyptian pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain steel three-arm balance, flat balance spring, gilt brass cock pierced and engraved with a star, a crescent and scrolled foliage.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good

Case: 324
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 3-8-01

Good

Slightly scratched

HANDS Original

Notes

Signed on the dial and back plate. DIAM. 46 mm. James Markwick & Markwick Markham. Of the two London makers, James Markwick, father and son, the elder was apprenticed on 25 June 1656 to Richard Taylor being subsequently turned over to Edward Gilpin. He became Free of the Clockmaker's Company on August 6, 1666. Six apprentices were bound to him between 1674 and 1699. In 1673 he succeeded Samuel Betts behind the Royal Exchange. Although he held office in the Clockmakers' Company, he was irregular in attendance, ceasing to pay any attention to its affairs after 1700. He worked until at least 1704 or 1706. His son, James Marckwick Jr., became Free of the Company in 1692 by patrimony, and died in 1730. The younger James Markwick was an eminent maker, Master of the Clockmakers' Company in 1720 and a very early user of jeweled bearings. In later years he was in partnership with his son-in-law Robert Markham who succeeded him, under the trading name of Markwick Markham which became famous for watches destined for the Turkish market. Not only did this notoriety encourage the apearance of spuriously signed watches, but at the end of the century Markham, or his successor, associated the names of other watchmakers with their own on products intended for the East.The makers thus found associated are: Francis Perigal, Peter Upjohn, H. Story, Borrell, John Johnson, Louis Recordon-Dupont. All of them were reputable watchmakers in their own right, selling other products under their own names. Louis Recordon of Soho was an expatriate Swiss and was a channel for the Swiss movements or parts which were commonly used in London productions for the ear East, as well as the London distributor for Bregue