Importantes Montres de Collection

Geneva, Nov 13, 2011

LOT 195

GEORGE PRIOR, MULTICOLORED GOLD QUARTER-REPEATING WATCH George Prior, London, No. 2018. Made for the Islamic market, circa 1810. Very fine and very rare, large, quarter-repeating, 18K varicolored gold, pair-cased pocket watch with a tortoiseshell and gilt-metal outer protecting case.

C. Outer: Two-body, overlaid with tortoiseshell (cracked), the bezel and border with gilt sound holes. Second: Two-body, gold, with fi nely chased varicolored gold fl owers and leaves and centered with an urn of fl owers, the edge pierced for sound, bezel decorated to match. Inner: Two-body, bassine, the back polished, the band engraved with foliate scrolls and pierced for sound. Gilt brass dust cap. D. White enamel with radial Islamic numerals, outer dot minute divisions and Islamic fi ve minute markers. Gold beetle and poker hands. M. 38 mm., gilt brass full plate with ring-turned cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, three-arm balance, fl at balance spring, gilt brass single-foot balance cock pierced and engraved with scrolling foliage, silver regulation dial with Islamic numerals, repeating with two polished steel hammers on a bell in the back of the case activated by depressing the pendant, slide on the band for dumb repeating option. Dial, dust cap and movement signed. Diam. 71 mm.