Deck watch by John Arnold and Son
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c.1790
This deck watch by John Arnold & Son, London, is dated to circa 1790 by the source. The jewelled movement features an Earnshaw-type spring detent escapement and is inscribed 'John Arnold & Son London No.
112 Invt et Fec' alongside a broad arrow mark. It is housed in a later silver case hallmarked for 1838–1839 with the maker's mark JJ, and is catalogued alongside an outer mahogany deck-box. According to the Science Museum Group, it was presented by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1906.
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
- Deck watch
- Escapement
- Earnshaw-type spring detent escapement
- Provenance
- Presented by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1906
- Case Hallmarks
- Silver case stamped 112, initials JJ, hallmarked 1838–9
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Maker and Origin
- John Arnold & Son, London, c.1790
- Maker / attribution
- John Arnold & Son
- Movement Inscription
- Signed 'John Arnold & Son London No. 112 Invt et Fec' with broad arrow mark
Design
- Case Composition
- The watch is housed in a hinged silver case, which is identified in the catalogue as a later replacement hallmarked for 1838–1839. The case bears the maker's mark 'JJ' and is stamped with the number 112. The case design allows access to the cuvette, back, and glass bezel. Hallmarks are visible inside the case back.
- Visible features
- • Gilt full-plate movement showing cylindrical pillars and engraved maker signature on the top plate. • Engraved pierced balance cock fitted with an endstone over a bimetallic compensation balance with timing screws and a helical balance spring. • Hinged silver case opened to show the cuvette/back and glass bezel, with visible stamped hallmarks inside the case back.
- Movement and Escapement Construction
- The timepiece features a jewelled movement with an Earnshaw-type spring detent escapement. The movement is a gilt full-plate design featuring cylindrical pillars. The top plate is signed 'John Arnold & Son London No. 112 Invt et Fec' and includes an engraved broad arrow mark. A pierced balance cock is fitted with an endstone over a bimetallic compensation balance, which incorporates timing screws and a helical balance spring.
- Provenance and Associated Components
- The object is associated with an outer mahogany deck-box and an enamel dial. The box contains an ivory tab signed 'Arnold & Son, London, 112' with a broad arrow mark, and the dial is signed 'Arnold & Son, London 112'. The watch was presented to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in 1906 and is catalogued as Clockmakers' Museum No. 431.
Identification
- Serial number
- 112
- 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 enamel dial and outer mahogany deck-box listed in the catalogue entry are not shown in this photograph.
- Research required: The silver case is catalogued as a later replacement hallmarked for 1838–9 rather than contemporary to the c.1790 movement.