- 25
Corneilus Harbert, London Bridge
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- A HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND EXTREMELY RARE SILVER PAIR CASED PRE-BALANCE SPRING VERGE WATCHCIRCA 1670
- Silver, gilt metal, fish skin
- diameter 52 mm
• gilt full plate movement, verge escapement, elongated floral engraved balance cock and foot, worm and wheel set-up, fusee and chain, unusual decorative pierced pillars • silver dial with asymmetrically placed hour numerals, matte gilt centre with short hour hand, outer silver date ring with revolving pointer on a narrow gilt band • plain polished inner case, the back with shuttered winding aperture, the outer case with fish skin covering and decorative silver piqué work with a pattern of rosettes • movement signed Cornelius Harbert, London Bridg.
Provenance
Sotheby's London, Percy Webster Collection, 27th May, 1954, lot 36
Catalogue Note
Formerly in the Percy Webster Collection, this watch has an exceptionally rare dial and unusual decoration to the outer case. It is believed that just two other watches are currently known with a similar dial treatment, one by Richard Jarrett is shown by Britten (1922), fig. 334 and a further similar example by Henricus Harper is illustrated by Baillie in his Watches, pl. XLV. Cornelius Harbert was born c. 1645 and was first apprenticed in April 1659 to Davis Mell, moving to William Grout in February 1660/61. He was a Freeman in 1667/68, worked at London Bridge and died some time after 1705. Harbert took on a number of apprentices although clearly not all were up to scratch; Thomas Drew, whom he took on in April 1671, lasted only a year before being dismissed as “incapable of learning his trade.” See Loomes, The Early Clockmakers of Great Britain, 1981, p.280.
Percy Webster (1862-1938), the leading antiquarian horologist of his day and one-time Master of the Clockmakers’ Company, was for over forty years in a position of unique advantage to follow the market in clocks and watches. He acquired a comprehensive collection ranging from English watches to Continental clocks, and it included pieces by master watchmakers from Vautrollier to Quare. His collection was particularly strong in early watches of the 16th and 17th centuries, including the well-known enamelled portrait watch of John Harrison. Webster was an antique dealer and expert horologist, and was elected Master of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1926.
Percy Webster (1862-1938), the leading antiquarian horologist of his day and one-time Master of the Clockmakers’ Company, was for over forty years in a position of unique advantage to follow the market in clocks and watches. He acquired a comprehensive collection ranging from English watches to Continental clocks, and it included pieces by master watchmakers from Vautrollier to Quare. His collection was particularly strong in early watches of the 16th and 17th centuries, including the well-known enamelled portrait watch of John Harrison. Webster was an antique dealer and expert horologist, and was elected Master of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1926.