Daniel Quare, London

• Movement: gilded full plate, verge escapement, the balance cock decoratively pierced and engraved with two cherubs holding aloft a crown above monogram EA, fusee and chain, round baluster pillars, repeating on a bell to the inside case back • signed D. Quare, London
• Dial: gold champlevé dial, Roman numerals with half hour divisions beneath, outer Arabic minute track, signature cartouches, blued steel beetle and poker hands
• Case: gold inner case, decoratively pierced band with scrolling foliage inhabited by birds, a mask to the base, winding aperture to back, case maker’s mark WI incuse • later
especially made gold outer repoussé case (circa 1725-30) with scene depicting a woman and a man (possibly Cephalus and Procris) before an altar on which two hearts are burning, outside the cartouche with pierced foliage panels, with figures of the four seasons between, signed beneath the altar, Robe fec. for the case chaser and inside case back with case maker’s mark TP incuse for Thomas Potts • bezel with pierced foliage interspersed by floral panels, movement and inner case numbered 168

Sotheby's New York, Fine Watches from the Atwood Collection, 11th December, 1986, lot 43
Sotheby's New York, Important Watches, Wristwatches, Clocks, Marine Chronometers and Navigational Instruments, 22nd February, 1996, lot 618 (incorrectly labelled as Quare no. 163)

Richard Edgcumbe, The Art of the Gold Chaser, 2001, p. 145
F.J. Britten, Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers, sixth edition, 1932, pp. 326-327

Movement running at time of cataloguing and repetition striking clearly. Dial in good refreshed condition, Inner case in good overall condition with light scuffs and scratches. Repoussé scene to outer case remains clear, some rubbing to exposed areas, push piece with dents and small holes. Glass slightly loose. Covers close securely.
"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."

This early piece demonstrates the repeating work invented by Daniel Quare in 1680. Traditionally believed to have Royal Provenance, the cock of this watch is pierced and engraved with the monogram EA with a Royal coronet flanked by cherubs. The initials on the cock are those of Ernst Augustus, father of King George I, who died in 1698 and from whom the watch is said to have been a gift.

The especially made outer repoussé case dates to circa 1725- 30 and depicts a betrothal scene, a subject that was common on watch cases, and it seems reasonable to assume that the watches concerned were wedding gifts. Although it is difficult to firmly attribute the figures within the scene, if the watch was indeed originally intended as a wedding gift, the figures represented may be Bacchus and Ariadne rather than the tragic Cephalus and Procris. The maker of the outer case, Thomas Potts, registered his mark in 1728. Richard Edgcumbe in The Art of the Gold Chaser records the present outer case and a further case with the same scene on a watch signed by Thomas Potts, this latter watch was in the Atkinson Collection (Christie’s 1953 lot 140).

For a note on Daniel Quare, see lot 12.