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John Osmond (active 1736)
Gold pair-cased verge watch with quarter repeat

Dial: central disc is inscribed OZMOND and PILTON on two labels
Dust-cap: John Ozmond Pilton
Inner case - inside: London hallmark for 1730
Movement: Jno Ozmond PILTON
Outer case - inside: indistinct, possibly IB, 1733

inner case 41.7 mm diameter inner case 27.55 mm thickness outer case 49.1 mm diameter outer case 23.1 mm thickness movement 30.8 mm diameter pillar 6 mm height overall 28.7 mm thickness

Cases: Gold pair Cases, the inner pierced and engraved with foliate scrolls, strapwork and grotesque masks and with a large mask at the bottom. The back is plain except for engraved decoration around the bell-screw hole. There is a winding hole in the back. Gold pendant with an applied rosette in the top and a decorated stirrup bow. On the inside the case is marked with the London hallmark for 1730. The gold outer case has a bezel with alternate pierced foliate panels and solid panels with birds. The band has pierced foliate panels alternating with solid panels with a camel, goat, elephant, crocodile and horse. The back is decorated with a repoussé scene depicting Alexander and Diogenes. On the inside is an indistinct maker's mark, possibly IB. Silver dust-cap inscribed John Ozmond Pilton. Dial: A gilt-brass dial-plate, decorated with a geometric design around the outside, supports a gold champlevé two-piece dial with minutes numbered 5-60, hours I-XII and lozenge half-hour marks around an inner circle divided to half-hours. The central disc is inscribed OZMOND and PILTON on two labels. Blued-steel beetle and poker hands. Movement: Gilt-brass plates with four gilt-brass and one steel baluster pillars. Gilt-brass barrel with tangent screw set-up between the plates. A fusee with chain and standard stop-work drives a four wheel going train, the centre wheel solid, the third and contrate wheels with three crossings. Verge escapement, the potence with a curved foot. Brass three-arm balance with spiral balance spring and Tompion regulation, the silver index disc engraved I-VI. Pierced and engraved foliate balance cock with a mask at the junction. Quarter repeat train driven by a fixed gilt-brass barrel, with a standard six-wheel train of solid gilt-brass wheels, the last a plain pinion. Two hammers strike the bell in the inner case and there is also a pulse-piece in the outer case for silent repeating. The movement is signed: Jno Ozmond PILTON Little is known of John Osmond of Pilton. He is listed in Clive Ponsford Devon Clocks and Clockmakers 1985, p.270. He is known to have been working in Pilton, a village near Barnstaple, in about 1736 when he took on John Cook as an apprentice. Provenance: Deposited on loan since 1987. Notes: Although signed Pilton, it is highly unlikely that any part of this watch was made there. The characteristics and quality of the case, dial and movement suggest that it was almost certainly made in London.

Lent from a private collection.

LI1425.1

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