NSAS: North South Axis Symmetric According to the terminology used by art historians, this type of case design was considered to be the most difficult form of asymmetric symmetry to achieve and was divided into five different types. The case of the present watch is a type 2ia, which means that the border is comprised of architectural motifs. This type of repoussé work was the favorite of Moser and was reserved for his best pieces due to its difficulty of execution. It is also a key factor in his being regarded as one of the greatest chasers of the 18th century, due to the difficulty involved in the laying out and executing what is in essence a mirror image border along the north-south axis. The use of this technique gave his central decoration, be it chased or enameled, greater force and allowed him to give importance to the key figure in the decoration. The present watch is one of only 20 pieces known to exist today with this type of cartouche signed by Moser. It is also the earliest recorded example of a type ?NSAS2ia? cartouche by Moser, and is often used as a comparison piece in literature to show the various attributes of Moser's early work. The importance of the piece is further enhanced by the fact that it is the only recorded collaboration between Moser and Delander. It is likely that the Delander who made this watch was Nathaniel Delander, the son of Daniel Delander, one of London's best makers at the end of the 17th century, who at the time was applying to be made Master of the Clockmakers' Company. The fact the watch is hallmarked for 1754-5 would mean that the case was probably chased in early to late 1755, at which point symmetric cartouches were reserved for Moser's best clients. This, combined with the fact that 60 percent of Moser's production was reserved for four makers - Mudge, Graham, Webster and Ellicot, London's top watchmakers of the day - suggests that this may well have been Delander's Masterpiece for submission to the Clockmakers' Company where he was made master at the end of the following year. An interesting side note is the choice of a serpent around the push piece to open the case. Moser was without doubt warning the owner of the watch to open the watch with caution and to remain respectful of what the case contained. Literature: The Art of the Gold Chaser in Eighteenth-Century London, Richard Edgcumbe, Oxford University Press, pp 52, 56, 93, 94, 95, 103- 4, 112, 131, fig. 84.

Nathaniel Delander The son of Daniel Delander, he was made free of the Clockmakers' Company in 1721 and was Master of the Clockmakers' Company from 1747-1754.