Beschreibung:

A GILT BRASS REPOUSSE PAIR-CASED VERGE POCKET WATCH WITH CHATELAINE THE MOVEMENT BEARING A SIGNATURE FOR WILLIAM CHASE, LONDON, BUT PROBABLY DUTCH, LATE 18th CENTURY The gilt full plate single fusee movement with four square section baluster pillars pinned through the backplate, scroll-pierced stop-iron block and verge escapement regulated by sprung three-arm steel balance with Tompion type regulation, the backplate with symmetrical scroll pierced and chased bright cut balance bridge over engraved text W'm Chase, London, and number 1207, the slightly convex circular white enamel Roman numeral dial with arcaded minute ring and Arabic five minutes to outer track, the inner case applied with suspension post and ring (glass lacking), the outer repousse decorated in relief with Classical figures within generous scroll borders, the chatelaine finely cast in the high-rococo manner with three cartouche-shaped links incorporating figural allegorical decoration beneath a two-part hinged belt hook applied with four subsidiary fob chains, (2). The pillar plate 3.4cm (1.370ins approx.) diameter; the outer case 4.6cm (1.875ins approx.) diameter; the chatelaine 17.5cm (7ins approx.) long. William Chase does not appear to be recorded in the usual sources. The movement of the present watch is a typical example from a group of Dutch timepieces produced during the mid to late 18th century signed with 'spurious' London signatures. One diagnostic feature is that on such examples the layout of the regulation tends to vary slightly from typical English practice resulting in the silvered regulation disc being positioned on the opposite side of the movement (to the left rather than the right when viewed with balance bridge uppermost). The use of a balance bridge (rather than a cock) incorporating bright-cut scrolling decoration, and arcaded minute ring to the dial are also indicative of Dutch manufacture.