William Nash

• Movement: gilded oval full plate with engraved border, verge escapement, decoratively pierced and engraved pinned-on floral balance cock and foot, flat balance, ratchet and click setup, gut line and fusee, baluster pillars • signed William Nash
• Dial: silver with engraved townscape scene and a huntsman beneath, chapter ring with Roman numerals, touch pins beneath, half hour divisions, surrounded by a gilded plate
engraved with scrolling foliage, an Angel’s head above 12 o’clock and a basket below 6 o’clock, double ended blued steel hand with foliate head
• Case: gilt-metal with decoratively engraved borders, silver band engraved with scrolling foliage inhabited by squirrels and snails, the back cover with shuttered winding aperture

H. Marryat Collection, London

Terence Camerer Cuss, The English Watch 1585-1970, 2009, p. 33, pl. 9
H. Marryat, Henlein to Tompion, 1938, p. 27, pl. B8
G. H. Baillie, Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, Second Edition, 1947, p. 230
F. J. Britten, Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers, Antique Collectors’ Club Edition, 1977, pp. 136 & 479  

Movement running at time of cataloguing, repairs visible to two pinion holes on the backplate, Small crack visible to the back of the top plate close to the opening. Dial in good refreshed condition. Covers with wear to the gilding and rubbing and loss of definition to the engraved decoration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping."

The dial of this watch has touch pins beneath the hours, allowing the user to feel the time. A feature more usually found on earlier watches, the use of touch pins was, however, still relatively common on contemporary German watches.  The silver dial is engraved with a charming townscape and a huntsman in the foreground taking aim at a rather large rabbit.

Britten, in his Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers, illustrates a very similar watch by William Yate, who was one of the Petitioners for the Clockmakers’ Company in 1622. In his discussion of the Yate watch, Britten mentions, although does not illustrate, a watch by William Nash as a comparison, noting that the Nash watch was owned by a Mr. Edward Parr.

Howard Marryat (1871-1944), a Liveryman of the of The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, developed an extensive watch collection throughout his lifetime. He worked as an electrical engineer, and eventually became a prominent figure in the electrical and manufacturing industries. He partially owned a company called Marryat and Scott that produced lifts and other electrical equipment, and headed the ompany for a little over 50 years. Marryat also wrote several books, most otably, Watches, From Henlein to Tompion, published in 1938. He developed a great interest in historic watches and the craftsmanship of their movements. His collection included pieces from John Arnold, Robert Pennington, and Jeremy East, along with many others. He completed the revision of the catalogue of watches in the Guildhall Museum, after which he became Freeman of the City of London. His son Robert
(1910-1996) inherited this collection, and eventually became acquainted with the famed watchmaker, George Daniels.  Daniels later married Robert’s daughter Juliet in 1964.