Mid 18thc. Verge With Glazed Balance

This is a fine Lancaster watch, in silver pair cases, with an unusual glazed verge movement, in particularly fine condition.

MOVEMENT : Gilded fusee verge movement, with engraved and pierced glazed balance bridge. Good undamaged blued screws and four square pillars.

Signed J. Backhouse and engraved Temps. Fugit (time flies) under the bridge. All in very good original condition and running well.

DIAL : White enamel dial, in very good condition. Just a few light surface scratches.

Fine matching gold beetle and poker hands (probably original), in excellent condition.

INNER CASE : Silver, maker’s mark WM. The back is engraved with the initials SK (Samuel Kilner).

In good condition though the stem has been reattached and reinforced with a silver plate on the inside. The high dome crystal is fine.

OUTER CASE : Silver, with matching maker’s mark to the inner. Engraved with the owner’s name on the back :

SAMUEL KILNER
ULVERSTONE

Again in very good condition with just a couple of very minor bruises to the back. The catch, catch button and hinge are all fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly.

There is a James Backhouse listed as working in Lancaster from the 1720s until 1747. The owner of the watch (Samuel Kilner) was from nearby Ulverstone. This watch is just a little later that 1747, but probably from the same family of watchmakers.