MOVEMENT : Attractive verge movement, with engraved and pierced silver balance cock and silver plate. Shell motif to the balance cock neck. Signed in a banner (R. MORLEY). Four square pillars and a blued steel regulator disk.

There are scratches to the blued steel disk, some non matching replacement screws to the plate and and old repair to the mainspring barrel (solder marks showing) but generally fine.

The movement is running, but a little fast (gaining about 7 minutes per hour).

DIAL : White enamel dial in excellent condition, with just a few very small flakes around the centre hole. Very nice, original 18thc, steel beetle and poker hands.

INNER CASE : Silver, with rubbed marks for Newcastle, and engraved on the back with an owner’s name and date (JOSEPH MAWDE, 1749). In good condition, though the stem has been reattached. The stem and bow are possibly later.

The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut. The high dome crystal is also fine, with just light surface scratches.

OUTER CASE : Silver pair case with no marks. The silver is in good condition with just a couple of light bruises to the back. The catch and hinge are fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly, though the catch button has worn right down.

The outer case contains 2 old watch papers, both from York (Waggitt), one dated June 1879.

The maker is probably Robert Morley of York, who was a freeman from 1732 and died in 1751.

Due to a decline in the silver trade in York, the assay office was closed between 1716 and 1776. During this period the silversmiths of York were permitted to use the Newcastle assay office. It is very rare to find a watch case assayed in Newcastle.