Late 18th verge in unusual underpainted horn case

A verge watch, in an unusual underpainted horn pair case in particularly fine condition

MOVEMENT : A fine quality gilt verge movement, with beautifully engraved and pierced balance cock, with a vase to the neck. Diamond endstone, four round pillars, silver regulator disk and blued steel screws.

Running well, and in very good condition.

Signed Willm. Phillips, Ludlow and numbered 1542.

DIAL : A white enamel dial, in reasonable condition. No repairs, but a couple of hairlines between 11 and 12, damage on the edge between 7 and 8, and some light surface scatches.

Gilt hands.

INNER CASE : Gilt brass. Stamped with marker’s mark B.

In good condition though with wear to the gilding. The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly. The high dome bull’s eye crystal is fine.

OUTER CASE : A wonderful gilt brass pair case with underpainted horn covering. The bezel and back are both decorated with a seaweed pattern, with a framed scene on the back showing a watermill and houses beside a lake. Beautifully painted, with a lot of detail and with gold highlights.

The hinge and catch are complete and the case snaps shut. There is some wear to the catch button but the catch is still functional.

The horn is in good, almost perfect condition, with fine colours.

On the back there is a small piece of horn missing, right on the edge at the catch button and a couple of short cracks. There are 12 pins missing from the pique work.

On the bezel, the horn covering is complete, and there are 10 pins missing.

The outer case contains an interesting old watchpaper which is almost certainly original to the watch,. This is marked “Thos. Phillips” and probably dates from the early 19thc.

Elliott’s “Shropshire Clock and Watchmakers” lists William Phillips as a watchmaker in the High Street during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was also a clockmaker, with a longcase example dated at c1780.

Another known example of William Phillip’s work is a silver watch, hallmarked for 1774 and numbered 940. The above example, with a higher serial number dates to about 1790.