I am puzzled about the marks on this pocket watch. They appear to be London 1851, but the lion rampant shield is the wrong shape (it should have the ‘bracket’ shape on the lower margin). Also I can’t identify the maker “IW” in an oval. It is nearest to John Wall, but his dates seem far too early. Any opinions gratefully received. Many thanks.
Whole movement photo, please.
London, 1851.
Priestley_NAWCC-Supplement-20_Spring-1994_optimized.pdf
Unfortunately the watch is back in the bank safe now, and I won’t return to it for a while. What a great publication, thank you. You see what I mean about the standard mark - the bottom doesn’t have the pointy bit…
Either way, I need a photo of the mechanism and the watch case.
Watch case hallmarks often vary from the “standard”. Your lion passant is completely normal for a watch case of the period. IW in an oval punch is probably John Williams. A small caveat on that is that Williams’s mark is shown in the references as having a stop between the letters, but there is no other exactly matching mark. The Williams I.W mark was registered on 5th April 1851 so the date is consistent.
Phil
Many thanks Phil. I discounted John Williams because of the pellet. I wonder why watch case marks should differ from other silver marks: surely the same assay hall dealt with them?
Watch cases were not dutiable from 1798 onwards so a different form of marking would prevent unscrupulous persons from making something different from a hallmarked watch case.
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Explains it all, many thanks as always…!
There’s always someone looking for an angle. I can imagine a watchcase being skillfully incorporated into a quart tankard, hallmarks and all. 