Late 18thc. Liverpool verge

Stock No. 1802

Bradley
Liverpool, 1797
Silver pair cases, 55 mm
Verge escapement

Sold

A late 18th century Liverpool verge watch, in silver pair cases, with an interesting set of American watchpapers.

MOVEMENT : Gilt fusee movement, with verge escapement, engraved and pierced balance cock and plate, four round baluster pillars, and silver regulator disk.

Signed “Bradley, Liverpool” and numbered 6136.

Running well, and in good condition except for some rubbing to the engraving on the plate near the regulator disk.

DIAL : A white enamel dial, in excellent condition except for a couple of light hairlines running from the edge at 6, through the centre, and then towards 10.

Brass hands.

INNER CASE : Silver, with hallmarks for Birmingham, 1797, maker’s mark WR.

All in very good condition. The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly. The high dome crystal is also fine and the bow and stem are original..

OUTER CASE : A silver pair case, with hallmarks and maker’s mark matching the inner.

In very good condition. The hinge and catch are complete and the case snaps shut. The catch button has a dent to one side.

The case maker’s mark is for William Ryley of St. John Street, Coventry.

The case contains an interesting series of watchpapers (x7), all provided by Thomas Jefferson Megear, clock and watchmaker of North Second St., Philadelphia PA. He worked from 1833 until 1857 as a silversmith and watchmaker in Philadelphia.
The papers (and presumably the watch) all appear to belong to a Joshua Haines, with the earliest dated 1835.