Large Underpainted Horn Watch – Turkish Market

A large and unusual underpainted horn watch, with a marine scene to the back. Made for the Turkish market by a London maker who specialised in this market.

MOVEMENT : Gilt verge movement, with engraved and pierced balance cock showing a vase to the neck. Four fine crested tulip pillars and a large silver regulator disk.

In good condition. The top of one pillar has broken off but the other three are fine and pin the plate firmly. There is a small indent to the rim of the balance cock table. Running well.

Signed Geo. Charle, London and numbered 12567.

DIAL : A fine silver champleve dial, with Turkish numerals, signed as the movement.
In very good condition.

Fancy gilt hands

INNER CASE : Silver, hallmarked for London 1805 with marker’s mark ?G (rubbed).

In good condition throughout.

The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly. The high dome bull’s eye crystal is fine.

MIDDLE CASE : Silver, with hallmarks matching the inner, maker TG (rubbed).

Again the silver is in good condition. The hinge and catch are fine and the case snaps shut correctly. The catch button has worn down and lost the sliver surface, but is functional.

OUTER CASE : A silver and brass outer case with an underpainted horn covering.

The bezel is underpainted in gold, green and brown to simulate tortoiseshell.

The back shows a marine scene, framed by a broad decorated border. The scene is beautifully painted, showing a man of war in full sail leaving a harbour. The red and yellow flags possibly indicate a Spanish port and ship.
Spanish ships took part in the Battle of Trafalgar, and this watch dates from that year (1805).

In very nice overall condition, retaining a wonderful colour.

On the bezel there is one crack and a little damage at 12. No pins missing from the pique work.

On the back there is one crack running from the edge at 11, and a small round hole within the scene at 2. There is a small piece of horn missing between the catch button and the rim. Just one silver pin missing (at 12).

The hinge, catch and catch button are fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly.

Loomes lists George Charle(s) in London in 1785.

The case maker is probably Thomas Gibbard of Clerkenwell, London.

It would be unusual to see a champleve dial on a watch of this period made for the home market, but they are quite often seen on watches made for the Turkish market.