17thc. ‘wandering hour’ verge in a wonderful case

A late 17th century London verge, with a ‘wandering hour’, sun & moon dial, in fine silver and tortoiseshell pair cases.

MOVEMENT : Gilt verge movement, with pierced winged balance cock, four wide pierced tulip pillars and a large silver regulator disk. Reeded balance wheel. The small balance foot is typically late 17thc. in style.

Signed RICH BAKER and numbered 340 (under the balance cock).

In very good condition, and running well.

DIAL : The silver champleve ‘wandering hour’ or retrograde dial has a central revolving disk, marking the daytime hours with a sun and the night with a moon.
The gold sun has red coloured rays and clouds, and the night time moon is on a dark blue background with silver stars.
The area under the cut out is nicely engraved and is signed as the movement.

Blued steel hand, of the period, and probably original. In fine condition.

INNER CASE : Silver, with maker’s mark WI and movement serial number 340. Good stirrup bow.

Excellent condition throughout. The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut perfectly. The high dome crystal is fine.

OUTER CASE : A beautiful silver case with tortoiseshell covering and very fine silver and gold pique work. This work shows four crowns to the edge and a rosette to the centre, all of silver pins with some gold highlights.

There are some minor cracks to the shell, and a few pins missing, but the shell is a good colour and the case is in generally very good condition.

Richard Baker was first apprenticed to John Chatfield, a blacksmith, in 1680 , then to Richard Browne in 1683. Free of the Clockmakers Company in 1685.
The shape of the balance cock foot would indicate a date around 1685 for this watch.

The case maker was probably William Jaques, whose mark WI is found on watches by Thomas Tompion and Daniel Delander.