Decharmes Shagreen and Silver Case Watch

Description:

Decharmes Shagreen and Silver Case Watch, London, c. 1700, with 20th century restoration, the outer shagreen and silver-pinned case opens to the plain silver case and "wandering hour" dial marked Van Aken and showing the hours in a circular window within a moving arched foliate engraved shutter, with minutes on raised bosses in an arch above, verge escapement chain fusee movement with large pierced balance cock with serpents and grotesque mask, pierced foot, silvered regulating dial and vase shaped pillars, cased dia. 58 mm.

Note: Decharmes was a French watchmaker working in London from 1691-1730. William Van Aken, a retired dentist from Hilversum, Holland, restored the watch to working order, and made both cases, the dial and under dial motion work based on a "wandering hour" watch in the British Museum. The dial was engraved by Christopher Eton, Clerkenwell, London, in 1985.
Estimate $1,000-1,500

lacking quarter reading hand.

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