Justin Vulliamy pocket watch movement
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1780-1790
This watch movement, catalogued under accession number CIRC.122-1916 at the Victoria and Albert Museum, is a brass mechanism dating from 1780 to 1790. It was manufactured in London and is signed by Justin Vulliamy.
The movement exhibits a gilded finish, which is visible on the fusee plate and balance cock. The construction includes an engraved balance cock featuring a central mask motif integrated into ornate scrollwork. A circular regulator dial with numerical markers is positioned to the left of the balance assembly, indicating the time-keeping adjustment mechanism. The signature "Justin Vulliamy / LONDON" is engraved along the edge of the fusee plate in script and block lettering.
This object was acquired by the museum as a gift from Evan Roberts, Esq. The diameter of the movement is recorded as 4 cm. It serves as an example of late 18th-century English watchmaking practices.
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
- 1780-1790
- Type
- Pocket watch movement
- Donor
- Evan Roberts, Esq.
- Maker
- Justin Vulliamy
- Origin
- England (London)
- Diameter
- 4 cm
- Place recorded
- England
- Maker / attribution
- Justin Vulliamy
Design
- Visible features
- • The balance cock features an engraved grotesque mask surrounded by scrollwork • The movement is finished in brass with gilding • The fusee plate displays a regulator dial with numerical indices • The signature is engraved in a combination of script and capital letters
- Movement and Construction
- The movement is a brass watch mechanism of circular form with a diameter of 4 cm. The visible surface is the fusee plate, which is finished with gilding. The construction incorporates a pierced balance cock adorned with elaborate scrollwork and a centered mask. Adjacent to the balance cock, the mechanism includes a small circular regulator disc used to adjust the timing of the watch. The disc is marked with numerals, allowing for fine-tuning of the rate.
- Signatures and Inscriptions
- The maker's mark is present on the fusee plate. The engraving reads 'Justin Vulliamy / LONDON' followed by the letters 'ncc'. The inscription is executed in a script typeface for the maker's name and capitalized block letters for the location. The letters 'ncc' follow the London location indicator. While the significance of this suffix is not explicitly defined in the source, it is clearly rendered on the plate surface alongside the primary identification of the maker.
- Provenance and Documentation
- This watch movement is part of the collection held by the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was donated to the institution by Evan Roberts, Esq., and has been assigned the accession number CIRC.122-1916. The documentation identifies the object solely as a movement, reflecting its current status as an independent mechanical component rather than a complete timepiece. The museum record establishes the object's origin as London and attributes the work to Justin Vulliamy. The dating of the piece to the decade between 1780 and 1790 is based on the museum's assessment of the object's characteristics. No further provenance or ownership history is provided in the available collection records.
Identification
- Accession number
- CIRC.122-1916
- 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 function or type of escapement cannot be verified from the provided image
- Research required: The original watch case or dial are not present with the movement