Thomas Tompion

• gilt full plate verge movement signed Tho Tompion London, three arm balance, pierced and engraved balance cock, the going train with fusée and chain, repetition by two hammers on a bell • gold champlevé dial, blued-steel beetle and poker hands, Roman numerals, Arabic outer cartouche, signed Tompion London • gold inner case, the band pierced and engraved with inhabited scrolling foliage, a landscape at the pendant and vignette and mask at the base, hallmarked 1711 under the bell, numbered 340 on the pendant back, shagreen outer case with silver piqué work decoration to the bezel • dial and movement signed, case numbered

Sold Sotheby's, London, 31st December 1971, lot 188.

Evans, J., Thomas Tompion at the Dial and Three Crowns, AHS, 2006, p.104.

Movement running, all functions appear fully operational while cataloguing. Dial and case in a very well preserved condition. The outer shagreen case in very good condition. Overall the watch is a very well preserved and rare example of one of the most famous English watchmakers' work.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping.

Important Notice regarding importation into the United States of Rolex watches
Sotheby's cannot arrange for the delivery of Rolex watches to the United States because U.S. laws restricts the import of Rolex watches. The buyer or a designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale."

Thomas Tompion (1639-1713), the greatest of English clockmakers was born the son of a blacksmith at Ickfield Green, a hamlet in the parish of Northill, Bedfordshire. It seems that he was trained, with his younger brother James, in the art of blacksmithing.
Shortly after 1680, Tompion devised a numbering system for all the clocks and watches that he made and this was continued after his death by his successor George Graham.