Beschreibung:

A silver cased open-faced duplex pocket watch Arnold and Dent, London, 1835 The gilt full-plate single fusee four column-turned pillar movement with duplex escapement incorporating jewelled pivots for the escape wheel arbor and split bimetallic balance with faceted diamond endstone, the backplate with removable mainspring bridge, balance cock incorporating regulation sector and signed Arnold & Dent, LONDON, No. 4855, the circular white enamel Roman numeral dial with subsidiary seconds dial and repeat signature ARNOLD & DENT, LONDON, 4855 to centre and gold hands, the case with engine-turned rear cover and suspension bow, the interior with hallmarks for London 1835 and repeat serial number 4855, 5cm (2ins) diameter. Provenance: The collection of the late R. J. Taylor formerly of Huntsgreen Farm, Boxford, near Newbury. Edward John Dent was a talented horologist who at the age of 17 transferred his apprenticeship from the trade of tallow chandler to watchmaking under the charge of Edward Gaudin in 1807. By 1817 he had become well known as a watch and clockmaker receiving commissions from the Admiralty for a 'Standard Astronomical Clock' and pocket chronometers for the Colonial Office Africa Expedition. In 1830 Dent went into partnership with John Roger Arnold which continued until 1840 when he left and set up business alone as E.J. Dent at 82 Strand, London, primarily making marine chronometers, watches and precision clocks. John Roger Arnold was born in 1769, the son of the famous watch and chronometer maker John Arnold He initially trained under his father and then Abraham Louis Breguet before, in 1787, going into partnership with his father. The firm of Arnold and Son subsequently became principal suppliers of early marine chronometers to the Royal Navy and lasted until the death of John Arnold senior in 1799. John Roger Arnold continued the business, in 1817 he was appointed Master of the Clockmakers' Company and in 1821 he was credited with the invention of the 'U' shaped compensated chronometer balance. In 1830 Arnold took Edward John Dent into partnership (after the unfortunate demise of his adopted son and likely successor); the partnership lasted ten years before being dissolved leaving Arnold to work alone until his death in 1843. The single-wheel duplex watch escapement employed in the current lot is to a design developed in its final form by Thomas Tyrer, who patented it in 1782. The duplex escapement is a form of frictional rest escapement which when properly set-up can achieve a very good rate, however it can be temperamental due to its tight tolerances and susceptibility to shock. The duplex escapement was subsequently generally superseded by the more reliable lever escapement which was further developed and refined during the first decades of the 19th century. Condition report disclaimer