This is an English silver triple cased pocket watch, with Turkish dial, in shell and silver triple cases. It is in rare and exceptional condition, with a high quality lever escapement fusee movement, and was made around 1875, by Edward Prior in London.

MOVEMENT : High quality lever movement with jewelled pallets and diamond endstone. Fully signed and numbered (79148) and running well. The condition of this movement is exceptional. The gilding is unusually bright, the blued surfaces of the screws are untouched and there is no wear or scratches on the plates. It is absolutely mint and a rare example.

DIAL : The signed enamel dial, with Turkish numerals, is about 38 mm in diameter. Like the movement, it is perfect.

SILVER INNER CASE : Full London hallmarks for 1875, maker WCS and with the last 3 digits of the movement number (148). The extremely high dome crystal has a few light scratches but no chips. The bow and pendant are fine and are original, without the usual repaired join to the case. The hinge is fine and the silver is in very good condition with just a few scratches around the catch. Diameter 44.5 mm.

SILVER MIDDLE CASE : Diameter 52.5 mm. and with matching hallmarks to the inner. Beautifully engraved and again in very good condition, with a few small bruises and a scratch across the back. The hinge and catch are fine.

SILVER/SHELL OUTER CASE : Diameter 61.5 mm. No silver hallmarks but the same maker’s mark (WCS) as the inner. The construction seems to be a brass base with silver rims. Again in exceptionally fine condition with not a single split or chip to the shell and just 5 silver pins missing.

Loomes lists Edward Prior in London between 1812 and 1868. Prior specialized in watches for the Eastern market and was making verge watches of 18th century style, still popular in this market, right up until the late 19th century. This an interesting example in that it would have been one of the latest of this type, and has an original good quality lever movement rather than the normal verge found in these watches. It is also noteworthy because of the unusually fine original condition.