Geo GRAHAM, London. No 5790
Rare early centre-seconds movement by this most famous maker, circa 1738.
£1,995.00
Large capped and jewelled fullplate fusee movement of typical Graham caliper, with beautifully engraved cock and slide plate, the cock with cherub’s head mask and un-pierced foot, the motion work retaining the additional steel bridge needed for c-secs work and the cap scratch numbered inside, as is usual from this workshop. Cylinder (dead-beat) escapement retaining the original 13-tooth brass escape. Steel balance, blued-steel balance-spring. Lacking the dial but retaining the original deeper than normal brass-edge. 38 mm diameter.
George Graham, successor to Thomas Tompion, Fleet Street, London, had perfected the cylinder escapement by 1726 and used this in all his watches from then on, without exception, until he died in 1751. Graham also started to offer his new watches with centre-seconds work around 1735, this caliper being, I believe, the finest as well as the rarest for these early cylinder watches. The earliest known surviving original example is number 5729 (also now just a movement), making this perhaps the 3rd earliest. NB: Two earlier Graham watches are possibly centre-seconds but there are question marks over their details and originality, and anomalies with hallmarks. At least one movement is also known which has been later converted to show c-seconds.
Lacking dial, hands, the additional c-seconds motion wheel, the balance-brake and the case bolt and its spring. The centre arbor broken, the fusee chain present but detached and the brass-edge altered for fitting to a later dial at some point. Otherwise looking to be complete and mostly in lovely un-messed with condition – an ideal subject for a sympathetic restoration. Not working.
Item available
Description
Large capped and jewelled fullplate fusee movement of typical Graham caliper, with beautifully engraved cock and slide plate, the cock with cherub’s head mask and un-pierced foot, the motion work retaining the additional steel bridge needed for c-secs work and the cap scratch numbered inside, as is usual from this workshop. Cylinder (dead-beat) escapement retaining the original 13-tooth brass escape. Steel balance, blued-steel balance-spring. Lacking the dial but retaining the original deeper than normal brass-edge. 38 mm diameter.
George Graham, successor to Thomas Tompion, Fleet Street, London, had perfected the cylinder escapement by 1726 and used this in all his watches from then on, without exception, until he died in 1751. Graham also started to offer his new watches with centre-seconds work around 1735, this caliper being, I believe, the finest as well as the rarest for these early cylinder watches. The earliest known surviving original example is number 5729 (also now just a movement), making this perhaps the 3rd earliest. NB: Two earlier Graham watches are possibly centre-seconds but there are question marks over their details and originality, and anomalies with hallmarks. At least one movement is also known which has been later converted to show c-seconds.
Lacking dial, hands, the additional c-seconds motion wheel, the balance-brake and the case bolt and its spring. The centre arbor broken, the fusee chain present but detached and the brass-edge altered for fitting to a later dial at some point. Otherwise looking to be complete and mostly in lovely un-messed with condition – an ideal subject for a sympathetic restoration. Not working.
