DESCRIPTION:
EPW - Henri Verriere, "Constructeur de Chronomètre," Paris, massive lever pocket chronometer with French nationalist niello back, 68mm, silver and gold-mounted OF original HB&B case with signed hinged silver cuvette, French silver hallmark within cuvette and on bow in use on watch cases from 1893, the back with niello semi-nude portrait of Liberty over the motto of the French Revolution, "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité," KWKS, silvered dial, blued hands with protective cup to receive key, fully capped lever escapement with unique counterpoise acting as banking safety around the escape wheel arbor without touching the latter, third and fourth wheels capped on both sides, the watch never having been designed with seconds, pale blue sapphire jeweling, helical HS, 25J, gilt mvt stamped "Verriere" under the dial, winding with stop-works and internally geared double-click, without number save for the scratched #10500 on the dial back. Gross weight of assembled watch 179.9 dwt (279.8 g). We have not yet found any information on this maker, probably a genius watchmaker working for a larger company. One would expect a watch of such exhibition quality at this time to have perhaps been made for exposure at the Exposition Universelle at Paris in 1900.
CONDITION:
Mvt: GRO, mint mvt condition overall; dial mint; hands mint yet short for the overall design; mint case shows hardly any wear, pale overall tarnish, some MFS, no dents or dings, crisp niello detail with MFS only; bow tight, unworn; good glass crystal.
ESTIMATE:
$4000
-
$6000
PRICE SOLD:
$4600
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