17thc. London Verge

A fine late 17th century verge in silver pair cases.

MOVEMENT : Gilt fusee movement, with verge escapement, beautifully engraved and pierced balance cock, four fine very fancy tulip pillars and silver regulator disk. The balance has a reeded polished steel wheel (as found on Tompion watches) and unusually this has 4 spokes. The cock has a small foot with an irregular unframed edge, typical of London watches of the late 17th century. Nicely engraved arrow pointer to the regulator disk.

Signed Edmund Appeley, London.

Running well, and in good condition, though with a few scratches and patches of rubbing to the gilding, especially near the balance cock foot.

DIAL : A silver champleve dial, signed as the movement to the central disk. In good condition.

Good early steel beetle and poker hands. Probably original.

INNER CASE : Silver, with no maker’s mark or hallmarks (silver cases of this date are hardly ever hallmarked).

In reasonable condition. The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly. The high dome crystal is good. The bow and stem are mid 18thc. silver replacements. The case has some small bruises to the back and a few small dents to the inner rim.

OUTER CASE : Again an unmarked silver case.

In good condition. The hinge and catch are complete and the case snaps shut. The catch button is dented but still operates correctly. Just some very small dents to the back.

Edmund Appeley (sometimes Appley) was born in 1656, A fine clockmaker, he was apprenticed to Jeffrey Bayley in 1670. He worked in Charing Cross, London, and became free of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1678. He died in 1688.