Lot Essay
John Bentley and James Beck of the Royal Exchange began their partership about 1815 and are recorded as chronometer makers. John Bentley was a foreman to James McCabe.
Details
BENTLEY & BECK. A RARE SILVER DEADBEAT VERGE POCKETWATCH WITH CYLINDRICAL JEWELLED PALLETS
signed Bentley & Beck, Royal Exchange, no. 1519, 1819
the frosted gilt fusee movement with pierced cock and diamond endstone, monometallic balance with flat blued steel hairspring, the steel staff fitted with two cylindrical slotted ruby jewels as pallets to the 15 tooth crown wheel, finely made spring and pawl for the maintaining power and stop mechanism with lever in the band, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, large subsidiary seconds and gold spade hands, in plain silver case, hallmarked London 1819, with two tier mahogany travelling box with observation lid, movement signed and numbered - 59mm. diam.
signed Bentley & Beck, Royal Exchange, no. 1519, 1819
the frosted gilt fusee movement with pierced cock and diamond endstone, monometallic balance with flat blued steel hairspring, the steel staff fitted with two cylindrical slotted ruby jewels as pallets to the 15 tooth crown wheel, finely made spring and pawl for the maintaining power and stop mechanism with lever in the band, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, large subsidiary seconds and gold spade hands, in plain silver case, hallmarked London 1819, with two tier mahogany travelling box with observation lid, movement signed and numbered - 59mm. diam.
Literature
'A Bentley and Beck dead-beat verge watch', Antiquarian Horology, Vol. 18, Spring 1990, pp. 526-528.