Lot Essay
No other watch is known with Arnold's signature and address "Plymouth Dock". From the numbering one can deduce that this watch was made in the late 1760s. The case and dial are later.
SIGNED JOHN ARNOLD, PLYMO DOCK, NO. 160, MID 18TH CENTURY
Details
Arnold. A 22 carat gold paircase duplex pocketwatch
Signed John Arnold, Plymo Dock, no. 160, mid 18th Century
The frosted gilt movement with pierced and engraved cock, diamond endstone, three-armed monometallic balance, duplex escapement, turned and pinned pillars, under signed and numbered dust cap, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, outer Arabic five minute divisions, gold hands, in later plain gold paircase with casemaker's mark IP for John Penny, movement signed and numbered
57 mm. diam.
London 1796
Signed John Arnold, Plymo Dock, no. 160, mid 18th Century
The frosted gilt movement with pierced and engraved cock, diamond endstone, three-armed monometallic balance, duplex escapement, turned and pinned pillars, under signed and numbered dust cap, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, outer Arabic five minute divisions, gold hands, in later plain gold paircase with casemaker's mark IP for John Penny, movement signed and numbered
57 mm. diam.
London 1796
Literature
Hans Staeger, 100 Years of Precision Timekeepers from John Arnold to Arnold & Frodsham 1763-1862, 1997, pp. 43 and 44