David Lestourgeon, London

• Movement: gilded full plate, verge escapement, large decoratively pierced balance cock engraved with foliage and birds' heads and a female head with streamers at the neck, repeating on blocks mounted to the inside case back, signed David Lestourgeon, London No. 1709
• Dial: silver champlevé dial, black Roman numerals with half hour divisions between and to the ring beneath, outer Arabic minute ring, all against a stippled ground, very unusual and fine blued steel foliate hour hand and fine poker minute hand, gilded outer ring
• Cases: silver single case with leather covering, the bezels with trefoil piqué decoration, pulse piece between 6 and 7 o'clock, case back with hinged sliding shutter to the winding aperture, case maker's mark IW incuse probably for John Willoughby

Terence Camerer Cuss, The English Watch 1585-1970, 2009, p. 164, pl. 88

Movement running at time of cataloguing, The watch is repeating but is currently out of sync and will need adjustment. There appears to be a blank hole to the backplate positioned close to the centre of the barrel. Dial has been cleaned and refreshed and has light scuffs and scratches. Some pins now lacking to the shagreen case. The hinged shutter to the case back covering the winding hole must presumably have originally had a raised edge or pin to help move it to one side.
"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 watch has rack and pinion repeating work with two hammers striking blocks mounted inside the case back. A rather more discrete form of repetition work than that sounded on a bell, the sound of the strike can be further silenced by pressing the pulse piece to the bezel which prevents the hammers from striking the blocks and instead pulses through the thumb or finger used. The quarter rack has an extension so that a single blow can be struck for the half-quarters, i.e. when seven and a half minutes or more have elapsed since the previous quarter.

David Lestourgeon was admitted as a Free Brother of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1698 and is believed to have been working as late as 1731. Interestingly, research carried out by Clive Ponsford into the wills of watch and clockmakers held at the National Archives, shows that Lestourgeon was both a Watchmaker and Innholder [see: Antiquarian Horology, Vol. 30, No.4, December 2007 p. 525].