A P WALSH for Sam’l HAMMOND, New York. No 294
Very rare lever watch with Hutton’s Patent Savage 2-pin escapement and ‘duo-in-uno’ balance-spring, the dial showing state-of-wind.
£3,495.00
Gold double-back case hallmarked London 1863, case maker AS (Alfred Sram). London finished half-plate fusee movement jewelled to the 3rd, with hard brass setting on the fusee and with cap jewels on balance (diamond), lever and escape. Detached lever escapement of Savage 2-pin form but jewelled in all its actions, with a ‘wide’ pale ruby jewel, the foot of which is also slotted for impulse and safety. Compensation balance, free-sprung balance-spring of rare duo-in-uno form. Signed enamel dial with up/down indication at XII, gold hands. 48 mm diameter.
Samuel Hammond, retailer of top quality English watches and often called “the Watchmaker to Wall Street.” Most, if not all, of Hammond’s watches appear to have been made by the English maker Arthur Paul Walsh who supplied much of his work for retail in America. As reported by Major Chamberlain, it was the chronometer maker Robert Gardner who called Walsh “the Prince of pocket chronometer makers”
Two other fine English watchmakers are also represented in this watch, the duo-in-uno almost certainly being the work of John Hammersley, and John Hutton for his improved Savage 2-pin escapement. Hammersley’s invention of the duo-in-uno form of balance-spring was disputed at the time, and still is, as also reported by Chamberlain, but I favour Hammersley for the work in this watch as he is is known to have worked closely with Walsh, and I suspect sprung most of Walsh’s work – it would be wrong to think of them as rivals, as is often thought.
John Hutton, Patent No 11,427, October 1846. Eight parts, including this “improvement in the ‘two-pin’ lever escapement…inserting a solid piece of ruby or other hard stone in the roller, and in placing the impulse notch in this ruby, and forming the lower part of the ruby so as to receive the fork of the lever.” This is an improvement of an already fine escapement invented by George Savage, escapement maker, around 1814. It needed exact manufacture to work properly and was never widely used, other than in the best, usually London, work.
Ex-Bradley Ross collection, a watch for the horological connoisseur who has no need to wear obvious bling or a ‘famous name.’ Dial with faint hair crack at the edge, between I and II, and light wear showing on its engine-turned rear cover and bow. Otherwise in fine original condition and one of the rarest watch escapements known to me, far more so than any spring-detent escapement. Presently being serviced and will be sold with my usual guarantee – photographed prior to cleaning please note.
Item available
Description
Gold double-back case hallmarked London 1863, case maker AS (Alfred Sram). London finished half-plate fusee movement jewelled to the 3rd, with hard brass setting on the fusee and with cap jewels on balance (diamond), lever and escape. Detached lever escapement of Savage 2-pin form but jewelled in all its actions, with a ‘wide’ pale ruby jewel, the foot of which is also slotted for impulse and safety. Compensation balance, free-sprung balance-spring of rare duo-in-uno form. Signed enamel dial with up/down indication at XII, gold hands. 48 mm diameter.
Samuel Hammond, retailer of top quality English watches and often called “the Watchmaker to Wall Street.” Most, if not all, of Hammond’s watches appear to have been made by the English maker Arthur Paul Walsh who supplied much of his work for retail in America. As reported by Major Chamberlain, it was the chronometer maker Robert Gardner who called Walsh “the Prince of pocket chronometer makers”
Two other fine English watchmakers are also represented in this watch, the duo-in-uno almost certainly being the work of John Hammersley, and John Hutton for his improved Savage 2-pin escapement. Hammersley’s invention of the duo-in-uno form of balance-spring was disputed at the time, and still is, as also reported by Chamberlain, but I favour Hammersley for the work in this watch as he is is known to have worked closely with Walsh, and I suspect sprung most of Walsh’s work – it would be wrong to think of them as rivals, as is often thought.
John Hutton, Patent No 11,427, October 1846. Eight parts, including this “improvement in the ‘two-pin’ lever escapement…inserting a solid piece of ruby or other hard stone in the roller, and in placing the impulse notch in this ruby, and forming the lower part of the ruby so as to receive the fork of the lever.” This is an improvement of an already fine escapement invented by George Savage, escapement maker, around 1814. It needed exact manufacture to work properly and was never widely used, other than in the best, usually London, work.
Ex-Bradley Ross collection, a watch for the horological connoisseur who has no need to wear obvious bling or a ‘famous name.’ Dial with faint hair crack at the edge, between I and II, and light wear showing on its engine-turned rear cover and bow. Otherwise in fine original condition and one of the rarest watch escapements known to me, far more so than any spring-detent escapement. Presently being serviced and will be sold with my usual guarantee – photographed prior to cleaning please note.