Beschreibung:

Four similar Dutch gilt brass verge pocket watch movements Bearing various signatures, mid to late 18th century Each gilt full plate single fusee verge movement with scroll-pierced stop-iron block, square section baluster pillars and sprung three arm balance, the backplate with foliate scroll pierced and engraved balance bridge and conforming applied infill adjacent to the silvered regulation disc, the first three with white enamel Arabic numeral dials incorporating arcaded minutes ring and bearing signatures Markham, London, 2897; Geo. Clarke, London. No. 7424 and Tarts, London, 26166 to backplates, the third lacking dial and bearing signature J. Miller London, No. 25272, the pillar plates measuring approximately 35mm (1.375ins) diameter, (4). Provenance: The beneficiaries of the Estate of an Italian connoisseur collector of horological artefacts and works of art. The four watch movements in the current lot are almost certainly of Dutch manufacture produced during the mid to late 18th century signed with 'spurious' London signatures. One diagnostic feature is that on such examples the layout of the regulation tends to vary slightly from typical English practice resulting in the silvered regulation disc being positioned on the opposite side of the movement (to the left rather than the right when viewed with balance bridge uppermost). In addition to this the presence of the signature 'Tarts, London' to one of the watches would also suggest Dutch origins as it seems that this was a fictitious name specifically used by Dutch makers to give the impression that the watch was of English manufacture. Condition report disclaimer