DESCRIPTION:
EPW - Joseph Knibb, London, verge fusee, 52mm, silver OF pair recases bearing incuse "T B" marking below coronet possibly for casemaker Thomas Beasley, inner with shuttered winding aperture, silver champleve replacement dial, KWKS, verge escapement, gilt mvt with pierced and foliate scrolled balance cock, no visible s#. A rare piece from one of the 17th century's most eminent horologists; Joseph Knibb is widely regarded along with Thomas Tompion as the finest horologists of their time. Knibb was born in 1640, made Free of the Clockmakers' Company in 1671, and worked in London until leaving in 1697 per Brian Loomes "Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World." Joseph Knibb was primarily a clockmaker, and we believe watches by Knibb are notably rare. From the collection of Robert L. Ravel, M.D.
CONDITION:
Mvt: Running, excellent cosmetic mvt condition overall, good gilt tone, some scratches and fine scratches with majority being pillar pin and hairspring pin locations; dial is a replacement which is mounted onto a plate with new posts added to match to the present mvt's pillar plate, dial in excellent cosmetic condition; fine hands with small portions of bluing remaining; outer case shows light wear, ample patina with splotchy darker areas, few mild dings to rear perimeter, button latch good, some solder excess inside bezel from a past repair; inner case with larger mvt latch aperture than appropriate for present mvt which is allowing the present mvt to tip outward freely when bezel is opened, inner case shows light wear, an acquired patina, few scattered dents and dings, some circumferential denting around perimeter, an apparent plugging and adjacent redrilling of the winding aperture; bow pivots freely and with side-to-side slide within pendant piercing; good domed glass crystal.
ESTIMATE:
$2000
-
$4000
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