Silver Champleve Verge by Antram

Good early London verge, with a calendar champleve dial.

MOVEMENT : Gilt verge movement, with a very large and well engraved and pierced winged balance cock, featuring a large mask on the neck and birds above.
Signed ‘Jos. Antram, London’. Four very unusual Egyptian pillars with arcaded tops.

In good condition, though the screw fixing the balance cock has been replaced and moved slightly to the left of the original. Running well. The calendar mechanism is complete and working.

DIAL : Fine silver champleve dial, with signed central disk (Antram, LONDON) and calendar aperture.
In good condition with just a few scratches around the catch at 6 and some black wax infill missing in places. Nice original 18th century steel hands.

INNER CASE : Silver, with serial number 335 but maker’s mark obscured by the cover rivet. Large sliding disk on the back forming the cover for the winding aperture.
In good condition, though the pendant has been reattached (and reinforced) and the bow is later. The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly. The high dome crystal is also fine.

OUTER CASE : Silver, with pierced bezel and plain back. No maker’s mark.
The hinge, catch and catch button are fine and the case closes correctly. There are some very light bruises to back, wear to the pierced bezel, and signs of an old repair to the rim (only visible from the inside) but generally in good condition.

Joseph Antram is listed from 1697 and died in 1723. An important maker, he was clockmaker to George I.