Full hunter silver pocket watch with portrait of Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1890s - 1900s
This European full hunter pocket watch was produced for the Persian export market and is attributed by the source to France or England around the 1890s to 1900s.
Encased in silver with a diameter of 4.5 cm, the front cover bears an oval polychrome enamel portrait of Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar dressed in military uniform with an aigrette on his Astrakhan fur cap. The auction catalogue describes an internal white enamel dial featuring black Roman numerals, blued moon hands, and a subsidiary seconds dial at 3 o'clock, powered by a movement with a three-quarter plate and compensated balance.
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
- Full hunter pocket watch
- Dimensions
- 4.5cm diameter
- Case material
- Silver
- Target market
- Persian export market
- Place recorded
- France or England (possibly)
- Portrait subject
- Muzaffar al-Din Shah (1853 - 1907)
- Movement description
- 3/4 bridge plate, nickel finish, burnished friction jewels
Design
- Visible features
- • Closed silver full hunter case featuring an oval polychrome enamel medallion on the front cover. • The medallion portrays a moustachioed military figure wearing medals, a sash, and a black hat with an aigrette against a dark ground. • Circular case perimeter and bezel exhibit engine-turned or reeded textured decoration. • Fitted with a top-mounted pendant, bow, and crown.
- Dial and Mechanism
- The watch features a white enamel dial with black Roman numerals, a black outer minute division, and a subsidiary seconds dial at the 3 o'clock position. The time is indicated by blued heavy moon hands. The movement is described as having a 3/4 bridge plate with a nickel finish and burnished friction jewels. It includes a blued hairspring and a compensated balance.
- Case and Exterior Decoration
- This full hunter pocket watch features a circular silver case measuring 4.5 cm in diameter. The exterior perimeter and bezel exhibit engine-turned or reeded textured decoration, and the watch is equipped with a top-mounted pendant, bow, and crown. The front cover of the case is decorated with an oval polychrome enamel portrait of Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar. The subject is depicted wearing military garb with a tall aigrette on his black Astrakhan fur headdress.
- Historical Attribution and Context
- The watch is identified as being made for the Persian export market. Auction documentation indicates a possible origin in France or England, with an estimated date range of the 1890s to 1900s. No specific maker's marks or serial numbers are identified in the provided documentation.
Identification
- 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 movement are detailed in the auction text but are concealed and not visible in the provided photograph.
- Research required: Attribution to France or England and dating to ca. 1890s–1900s are based solely on source cataloguing.