Cylinder watch movement by E. Prideaux
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1780-1794
This uncased antique cylinder watch movement, catalogued under object number 1920-502 in the Science Museum Group collection, is attributed to London maker E. Prideaux and dated to circa 1780–1794 (with museum dates also noted as 1784–1790).
The gilded brass top plate exhibits extensive foliate engraving and an intricately pierced balance cock with an endstone setting. Hand-engraved script across the plate reads 'Edm. Prideaux London' accompanied by the serial number 9033. The movement features square winding arbors, a blued steel screw, an indexed regulator disc, and a visible chain wrapped around the fusee between the plates.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Cylinder watch movement
- Object Type
- movement - clockwork and cylinder watch
- Date and Place
- 1784-1790 in London
- Maker and Type
- Cylinder escapement, steel wheel, centre seconds, by E. Prideaux
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Maker / attribution
- E. Prideaux
Design
- Visible features
- • Ornate pierced and engraved balance cock with foliate scrollwork and central endstone • Hand-engraved cursive signature reading 'Edm. Prideaux London' on the top plate • Engraved serial number '9033' visible along the rim of the top plate • Silvered or metallic regulator disc calibrated with numerical divisions • Large blued steel screw set into an engraved plate section • Fusee chain wound around the fusee barrel visible between the plates
- Identity and Inscriptions
- This uncased watch movement, catalogued under Science Museum Group object number 1920-502, bears explicit hand-engraved inscriptions across its top plate. Visible inspection shows a cursive signature reading 'Edm. Prideaux London' on the plate, alongside the serial number '9033' visible along the rim. In the museum's cataloguing records, the maker is described as 'E. Prideaux' working in London. The object type is formally classified in the collection details as 'movement - clockwork and cylinder watch' under the category 'Time Measurement'.
- Top Plate and Visible Mechanism
- Visual observation of the top plate shows an ornate pierced and engraved balance cock decorated with foliate scrollwork and fitted with a central endstone. A silvered or metallic regulator disc calibrated with numerical divisions is mounted nearby, along with a large blued steel screw set into an engraved plate section. Between the plates, a fusee chain wound around the fusee barrel is directly visible. The museum record additionally characterizes the mechanism in its heading as 'Cylinder escapement, steel wheel, centre seconds', though dial components, hands, and an outer casing are not recorded in the provided image or object description.
- Institutional Documentation and Dating
- The Science Museum Group entry provides two distinct date ranges for the movement. One field states 'Made: 1784-1790 in London', while another line in the same entry lists '1780-94, London'. The collection record also credits acquisition to 'Mrs J Williamson and Bruno Roberts'. Additional components such as a dial or watch case are not recorded in this museum entry.
Identification
- Object Number
- 1920-502
- Serial number
- 9033
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The dial, hands, and case are absent in the provided photograph
- Research required: The source provides two slightly varying date ranges: '1784-1790' and '1780-94'
- Research required: The maker attribution to E. Prideaux is source-reported and inscribed on the plate