Gold & enamel lever

Stock No. 1694

Thomas Frederick Cooper
London, c1840
Gold & enamel, 48 mm.
Lever escapement

Sold

A mid 19th century gold lever watch in a fine gold and enamel case.

MOVEMENT : A good quality, fully jewelled lever movement. Unsigned.

All in good condition and running well.

DIAL : A gold dial, with engine turned engraving and scroll decoration to the centre. Subsidiary seconds dial. In reasonable condition, with no major scratches , but lots of light scuffs.

Matching gilt Breguet type hands and blued steel seconds hand.

CASE : A fine and substantial yellow gold case, with a beautiful polychrome enamel panel to the back. Heavily engraved bezel, rim, stem and bow, and a coin edge to the band. The back is engine turned with a particularly fine enamel, bordered with small pearls.

The inner back has a rubbed maker’s mark, and serial number 8612. The cuvette is stamped on the inside for 18ct gold, and serial numbers 8612 and 23023. The outer surface of the cuvette is profusely engraved, with added orange, white and blue enamel, and marked :

No. 8612
DETACHED LEVER 13 JEWELS
COMPENSATION BALANCE
T. F. COOPER
LONDON

In good overall condition. The hinges are all fine and the bezel and both back covers close nicely. The gold is in good condition with just some wear to the engine turning on the back.
The enamel panel is in good condition and the pearl border is complete, though with slight signs of adhesive so some may have been replaced. The crystal is good.

Thomas Frederick Cooper is listed at Gray’s Inn Road, London from 1820 until 1875.
The unsigned movement is probably Swiss, made in around 1840. Many London maker’s were importing Swiss movements at this time.