Beschreibung:

An interesting George III silver pair-cased pocket watch William Frodsham, London, 1783 The gilt full plate single fusee movement with, four square baluster pillars pinned through the backplate, scroll-pierced stop-iron block, verge escapement with rare jewelled crown wheel pivot and sprung three-arm balance with Tompion type regulation, the backplate with fine asymmetric foliate scroll pierced balance bridge fitted with screwed diamond endstone over silvered regulation disc within applied gilt infill incorporating signature W'm Frodsham, London and serial number 1175 engraved onto a scrolling banner within a matted field, the white enamel Roman numeral dial with repeat signature to centre, Arabic five minutes to outer track and later blued steel moon hands, the plain silver inner case fitted with convex glass, suspension post and marked for London 1783 maker EL, the outer case apparently unmarked with push-button clasp and engraved monogram dated 1796 to verso (both cases formerly gilt), the pillar plate 35mm (1.375ins approx.) diameter, the outer case 51 mm (2ins) diameter overall. William Frodsham senior is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as born 1728, free of the Clockmakers' Company in 1781 and died 1807. He worked from 12 Kingsgate Street, Red Lion Square, London and was appointed as one of the 'Experts' to assess Harrison's and Earnshaw's marine chronometers. He is thought to have probably been a journeyman to Justin Vulliamy and worked with his son, William junior (1755-1805), from circa 1779-1805 who is believed to have been taught the art of watch jewelling by his friend Thomas Earnshaw. This friendship lead to a conflict of interest when, in 1804, Frodsham was asked by the Board of Longitude to give evidence relating to a claim for a reward by Earnshaw subsequent to the latter's development of an improved design of detached escapement. The jewelled crown wheel pivot in the current lot is a particularly rare detail which possibly reflects the maker's specific interest in this practice (acquired from Thomas Earnshaw). In addition to this detail the general layout of the backplate (incorporating a balance bridge rather than a cock) is noteworthy in that it is reminiscent of the watch made for John Harrison by John Jefferys in 1752/3 (both seem to loosely echo 18th century Dutch practice in their use of a balance bridge and regulation disc placed over the fusee barrel). It would therefore seem plausible that the maker of the current lot may have been aware of Harrison's watch to the extent that he sought to replicate superficial details in the movement. This may have been done in order to differentiate it from 'standard' models perhaps due to the intention to add an 'improvement' - the jewelling to the crown wheel pivot. This sequence of possibilities is supported by fact that Harrison also resided in red Lion Square, literally just down the road from Frodsham. Condition report disclaimer