James McCabe 18K yellow gold quarter-repeating hunting-case pocket watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1863
This 18K yellow gold hunting-case pocket watch by James McCabe of London dates to circa 1863 and bears serial number 03 374 on both its case and movement. Featuring a round 48.7 mm case engraved in fine-cut taille-douce patterns, it is built with an 18-lignes gilded brass three-quarter plate movement powered by a fusee and chain with a duplex escapement.
The mechanism includes a quarter-repeater striking on two steel gongs via a slide positioned near 2 o'clock. Its white enamel dial displays radial Roman numerals, a subsidiary seconds track at 6 o'clock, and ornate gold hands, accompanied by a decorative winding key.
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
- Quarter-repeater pocket watch
- Diameter
- 48.7 mm
- Case Maker
- Alfred Stram, London
- Complication
- Quarter-repeater
- Case Material
- 18K yellow gold
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Movement Caliber
- 18''', fusee and chain, duplex escapement
- Maker / attribution
- James McCabe
Design
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial signed 'Jas. McCabe / Royal Exchange / London / 03374' • Fleur-de-lys styled gold-tone hour and minute hands with subsidiary seconds at 6 o'clock • Engraved decoration around the bezel, pendant, and bow • Ornate metal key shown beside the case
- Identity and Case Construction
- This pocket watch is an 18K yellow gold hunting-case watch measuring 48.7 mm in diameter, with an approximate total weight of 123 grams. The case is catalogued under number 03 374, attributed by the auction house to London casemaker Alfred Stram with a London date letter for 1863. The cover and case back are decorated in taille-douce fine-cut engraving featuring stylized foliage and geometric patterns. Visible inspection shows engraved ornamentation around the bezel, pendant, and bow, with a repeating slide located at 2 o'clock.
- Reported Movement and Mechanism
- The internal caliber is catalogued as an 18-ligne, gilded brass three-quarter plate movement powered by a fusee and chain, fitted with a duplex escapement. Catalogued mechanical features include a cut bimetallic compensated balance with gold poising screws, a blued steel flat hairspring, a diamond end-stone, and a polished steel index-regulator. The quarter-repeater complication strikes on two steel gongs using two hammers and is actuated by the slide at 2 o'clock, with the repeating work placed on the main plate under the dial. Movement number 03 374 is reported to match the case and dial signatures, though internal movement components are not visible in the provided image.
- Dial Display and Condition Notes
- The white enamel dial features radial Roman numeral hour markers and a subsidiary seconds register positioned at 6 o'clock. Time is indicated by yellow gold Fleur-de-Lys hands. The dial is signed 'Jas. McCabe / Royal Exchange / London / 03374'. In the cataloguer's condition report, a hairline is noted on the dial, while the hands are described as original by the seller.
- Winding Description and Documentation Limits
- The cataloguer's text presents an internal discrepancy regarding winding: the heading lists the piece as 'keyless-winding', but the accessories list specifies an accompanying 'winding- and hand-setting gold key' alongside a traditional fusee and chain movement. The duplex escapement, balance assembly, and repeating hammers remain hidden from view within the closed hunting case in the available photograph, relying strictly on the cataloguer's description.
Identification
- Serial number
- 03 374
- 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: Source text notes 'keyless-winding' in the header description but lists an accompanying winding and hand-setting key and describes a traditional fusee movement.
- Research required: Internal repeater striking work and duplex escapement are hidden from view under the dial and within the closed movement.