Large Doctor’s Centre Seconds Pocket Watch

A large, verge escapement watch, in silver pair cases, with calendar subsidiary dial and centre seconds.

MOVEMENT : The gilt fusee movement has a verge escapement, engraved and pierced balance cock, four round pillars, and a Bosley type regulator.

The steel lever under the dial at 3, allows the movement to be stopped and restarted.

Signed J. Bradshaw, MANCHESTER and numbered 619.

Running well and although there are scratches around the pillar tops on the top plate, it is in good condition. Both stop/start mechanism, centre seconds and calendar are complete and functioning correctly.

The calendar mechanism is very unusual in that it is driven from the fusee wheel, via wheels under the dial (see photo), rather than the hour motion wheel.

DIAL : The fine white enamel dial has time and calendar subsidiaries, with seconds marked around the outer chapter which has 1/5 second divisions.

In very good condition, with just a small flake at the date aperture, and some very light scratches (could be hairlines) mainly again around the date dial.

Gilt hour/minute hands, steel calendar, and blued steel seconds.

INNER CASE : Silver, with Chester hallmarks for 1819 and maker’s mark IE. There is a small monogram engraved to the centre of the back.

In very good condition. The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly. The bull’s eye crystal is also good, and the bow and stem appear to be original.

OUTER CASE : A silver pair case, with marks matching the inner.

In very good condition. The hinge and catch are fine and the case snaps shut correctly. There is a little wear to the catch button.

The maker is probably John Bradshaw of Manchester, whose father (also John) was apprenticed to Henry Hindley of York, and later moved to Manchester.

The case maker is John Ellison of Crosshall Street, Liverpool and later New Scotland Street.