Edward Prior Ottoman Market Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1813-1814
Maker / issuer
Edward PriorThis pocket watch, dating to 1813-1814, is signed and numbered 40767 by the London-based maker Edward Prior. The piece consists of an 18-carat gold inner case with a winding aperture and an outer gold and enamel case.
The outer case features a polychrome enamel scene depicting a lakeside town with a bridge, tower, and ship, surrounded by a scalloped frame with champlevé enamel foliate and scroll bezels in various opaque and translucent colors. The white enamel dial displays Turkish numerals and an outer minute ring, with beetle-and-poker style blued steel hands. The dial is signed by George Prior. The movement is a gilded full-plate design featuring a fusee and chain mechanism, a verge escapement, a decoratively pierced balance cock, a diamond end-stone, and a silver regulation plate marked with Turkish numerals.
The piece is attributed to the Ottoman market.
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
- Date
- 1813-1814
- Type
- Pocket watch
- Maker
- Edward Prior
- Escapement
- Verge escapement
- Case Material
- 18-carat gold
- Serial Number
- 40767
- Dial Signature
- George Prior
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Maker / attribution
- Edward Prior
- Outer Case Dimensions
- 37mm
Design
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial featuring Turkish numerals • Outer case decorated with polychrome enamel landscape scene • Blued steel beetle-and-poker style hands • Scalloped frame design on the outer case
- Hallmarks and Attribution
- The watch is associated with the Ottoman market, indicated by the specific use of Turkish numerals on both the dial and the silver regulation plate of the movement. The internal case is hallmarked in London, with the maker's mark recorded as AN. The pendant of the watch is also hallmarked. Attribution to the period 1813-1814 is provided by the auction description. The watch bears the signature of Edward Prior on the movement and the signature of George Prior on the dial.
- Case and Dial Construction
- The watch features an 18-carat gold inner case containing the movement, which includes a winding aperture on the back. The case carries London hallmarks and is marked by the maker with the initials AN. The outer case serves a decorative function, finished with a polychrome enamel scene of a lakeside town. This scene incorporates a bridge, a walled town, a tower, and a sailing ship. The border of the outer case is designed with a scalloped frame. Further ornamentation consists of champlevé enamel foliate and scroll bezels, utilizing a combination of opaque blue and translucent red enamels. The dial is white enamel and utilizes Turkish numerals, paired with an outer minute track and blued steel hands designed in a beetle-and-poker style. The dial bears the signature of George Prior.
- Movement and Technical Specifications
- The movement is a gilded full-plate type constructed with a fusee and chain mechanism for power delivery. The watch operates on a verge escapement. The balance system comprises a three-arm flat steel balance and a diamond end-stone. The balance cock is decoratively pierced and engraved. To accommodate the intended market, the movement includes a silver regulation plate featuring Turkish numerals. The watch is signed and numbered by Edward Prior of London.
Identification
- Serial number
- 40767
- 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 is signed by George Prior, while the watch is attributed to Edward Prior
- Research required: The 31cm measurement for the inner case is likely a typographical error for 31mm