HILL, Birmingham. No 503
Rare gold cased, London finished Massey-type 1 lever watch, in lovely original condition.
£2,995.00
Fine plain 18ct gold case hallmarked London 1820, casemaker HJ (Henry Jackson, Clerkenwell). Typical Lancashire full-plate fusee movement, the barrel-bar named and numbered for its retailer, the top plate carrying the number of its maker/supplier, the cap and cock foot both with the cameo stamp TB (possibly Thomas Bibby, Liverpool). Massey type-1 detached lever escapement with banking block, the pallets without draw. Gold balance, spiral balance-spring. One-piece cream enamel dial, bold blued-steel hands that match the Roman hour numerals. 54.5 mm diameter and weighing nearly 145 grams gross.
The lack of a Christian name or even an initial makes identification difficult, but probably retailed by William B Hill who moved from Coventry to Birmingham. Hill’s partnership with Thomas Ryley and John Roe in Coventry was dissolved in 1807. Coventry was an important centre regarding the early work of Edward Massey.
Edward Massey, escapement maker, originally from Newcastle-under-Lyme, later Coventry, then Liverpool and London. Inventor and patentee, in 1814, of a detached lever escapement. The escapement is known in five forms, with four different rollers. These were first catalogued by Alan Treherne, the earliest being types-1 and -5, followed by types-2 and -3. Type-4 is a seconds beating watch and is usually fitted with a type-3 roller. NB: I believe many type-1 rollers were updated to have jewelled rollers later in their life, making original survivors even more scarce. See also the now rare 1977 booklet on The Massey Family produced by Alan Treherne.
In fine original condition, being one of the cleanest examples of the type-1 Massey with plain steel roller I have handled, and also rare in that its gold case has survived – very few do. Showing just a few of the expected signs of use and presently being fully and properly serviced by one of the best watchmakers presently working in the UK – photographed prior to cleaning please note. Sold as serviced and with my usual guarantee.
Item reserved
Description
Fine plain 18ct gold case hallmarked London 1820, casemaker HJ (Henry Jackson, Clerkenwell). Typical Lancashire full-plate fusee movement, the barrel-bar named and numbered for its retailer, the top plate carrying the number of its maker/supplier, the cap and cock foot both with the cameo stamp TB (possibly Thomas Bibby, Liverpool). Massey type-1 detached lever escapement with banking block, the pallets without draw. Gold balance, spiral balance-spring. One-piece cream enamel dial, bold blued-steel hands that match the Roman hour numerals. 54.5 mm diameter and weighing nearly 145 grams gross.
The lack of a Christian name or even an initial makes identification difficult, but probably retailed by William B Hill who moved from Coventry to Birmingham. Hill’s partnership with Thomas Ryley and John Roe in Coventry was dissolved in 1807. Coventry was an important centre regarding the early work of Edward Massey.
Edward Massey, escapement maker, originally from Newcastle-under-Lyme, later Coventry, then Liverpool and London. Inventor and patentee, in 1814, of a detached lever escapement. The escapement is known in five forms, with four different rollers. These were first catalogued by Alan Treherne, the earliest being types-1 and -5, followed by types-2 and -3. Type-4 is a seconds beating watch and is usually fitted with a type-3 roller. NB: I believe many type-1 rollers were updated to have jewelled rollers later in their life, making original survivors even more scarce. See also the now rare 1977 booklet on The Massey Family produced by Alan Treherne.
In fine original condition, being one of the cleanest examples of the type-1 Massey with plain steel roller I have handled, and also rare in that its gold case has survived – very few do. Showing just a few of the expected signs of use and presently being fully and properly serviced by one of the best watchmakers presently working in the UK – photographed prior to cleaning please note. Sold as serviced and with my usual guarantee.
