Repousse silver & enamel verge

A mid 18thc. verge, in wonderful repousse silver and enamel pair cases. All in very good condition.

MOVEMENT : Gilded movement with four Egyptian style pillars, large silver regulator disk, and beautifully pierced and engraved balance cock with mask at the neck.

The movement is signed Jno. Collins, LONDON.

All in exceptionally good condition and running well.

DIAL : Signed silver champleve dial, the central disk beautifully decorated with scrolls, shells and faces in profile looking left and right.

In very good condition with just light scratches around the opening catch.

Blued steel beetle and poker hands.

INNER CASE : Silver case, with no maker’s mark.

In very good condition throughout. The high dome bull’s eye crystal is fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly. The stem and bow appear to be original.

OUTER CASE : This is a very fine repousse silver case with an enamel plaque showing a girl set into the back. The plaque is held within a crystal set pierced border.
The bezel and back are decorated with fine repousse work showing foliage, scrolls, shells and flowers.

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

The enamel plaque has a small chip on the edge at 8, and a few light scratches. The crystals set into the pierced border are all present and the border is complete.
The internal metal disk which holds the plaque in place is visible from the inside of the case and looks very fresh. So this, and possible the plaque itself, are probably replacements (though very nicely done).

The silver repousse work is in good condition, and showing very little sign of wear.

The maker is probably John Collins, apprenticed in 1717 and free of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1726. His father, also a watchmaker at Old Bailey, London, was also named John.