Dent Silver Deck Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
mid-19th century
This Dent deck watch is a mid-19th-century English timepiece presented in a plain silver open-face case with gold hinges. The watch features a key-wound, gilt full-plate movement equipped with a fusee, a helical free-sprung blued steel balance spring, and Harrison's maintaining power.
The escapement is an Earnshaw-type spring-detent mechanism, with the balance bridge featuring a diamond endstone. The white enamel dial is signed and numbered, displaying Roman numerals, a subsidiary seconds dial, and blued steel hands. The piece is housed in a three-tier mahogany deck box fitted with brass hardware and an inset bone plaque on the lid bearing the maker's signature and the watch's serial number. A locking key attached to a signed brass disk is included.
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 spring detent
- Box Details
- Three-tier mahogany deck box
- Case Material
- Silver with gold hinges
- Movement Type
- Gilt full plate fusee
- Balance Spring
- Helical free-sprung
- Place recorded
- England
- Maintaining Power
- Harrison's maintaining power
- Maker / attribution
- Dent
Design
- Visible features
- • Case features gold-colored hinges • Dial is signed 'E.J. DENT LONDON 19972' • Box includes an inset bone identification plaque • Case back is plain polished silver
- Dial and Signature
- The white enamel dial features Roman numeral hour markers and a subsidiary seconds register positioned at the bottom. The hands are crafted from blued steel, providing high contrast against the enamel surface. The dial bears the maker’s name, 'E.J. DENT LONDON', and the serial number '19972', which corresponds to the case and the deck box plaque. The layout follows standard conventions for high-precision maritime chronometers of the era, focusing on legibility and ease of reference.
- Case and Presentation
- The watch is encased in an open-face silver housing, characterized by a plain, sturdy design. The construction incorporates gold hinges, which connect the case components. The exterior finish is smooth, reflecting a functional design consistent with marine utility. It is housed within a three-tier mahogany deck box, which serves as a protective container for the timepiece. The box is adorned with brass fittings and features a circular bone plaque on the lid. This plaque is engraved with the signature of the maker and the watch’s serial number, matching the movement. Additionally, the winding key is provided, secured to a brass disk that is also marked with the maker's details.
- Movement and Escapement
- The movement is a gilt full-plate construction utilizing a key-winding mechanism. It incorporates a fusee and chain, paired with Harrison’s maintaining power system to ensure consistent torque during winding. The balance assembly features a large compensation balance with blued steel arms and edges, combined with a free-sprung blued steel helical balance spring. The escapement is of the Earnshaw spring-detent type, utilized for its chronometric performance. It includes jeweled discharge and impulse stones, and the escape wheel arbors are capped with endstones. The balance cock is plain, decorated with a diamond endstone mounted within a gilded setting, highlighting the technical refinement intended for navigation.
Identification
- Serial number
- 19972
- 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 exact mid-19th-century manufacturing date remains approximate
- Research required: Internal movement condition is described by the source but not independently verified