Markwick Markham, Perigal London Gold and Enamel Pair-Cased Clock Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1796
This gold and enamel pair-cased clock watch was made circa 1796 for the Ottoman Turkish market. The auction catalogue records London hallmarks for 1796 alongside the maker's mark VW on the case.
Its white enamel dial is signed Markwick Markham and Perigal London, fitted with Turkish numerals and later replacement hands. The source reports a gilt full-plate verge movement signed and numbered Markwick Markham, Borrel, featuring a pierced and engraved balance cock, a diamond endstone, and a striking and repeating mechanism on a bell for hours and quarters. Both the inner and outer cases display intricate pierced work and polychrome enamelling.
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
- Pair-cased clock watch
- Market
- Turkish market
- Diameter
- 48 mm
- Movement
- Gilt full plate verge movement
- Dial signature
- Markwick Markham, Perigal London
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Movement signature
- Markwick Markham, Borrel
- Maker / attribution
- Markwick Markham, Perigal London
- Hallmark and case maker
- London 1796, case maker VW
Design
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial bearing Ottoman Turkish numerals and twin central signatures. • Two decorative hands with fleur-de-lis-style motifs (noted by source as later). • Gilt open bow with a gem-set push piece atop the pendant. • Chequer-patterned and pierced outer bezel around the dial circumference.
- Dial and Movement
- The white enamel dial features Ottoman Turkish numerals and is signed 'Markwick Markham, Perigal London'. The source indicates that the hands are later replacements and notes the dial has a small hairline crack between 6 and 8 o'clock. The movement is a gilt full-plate verge type with a pierced and engraved balance cock and a diamond endstone set in a screwed chaton. It is signed and numbered by 'Markwick Markham, Borrel' and contains a striking and repeating mechanism for hours and quarters.
- Documentation and Condition
- The watch bears a London hallmark for 1796 and a case maker's mark identified as 'VW'. At the time of cataloguing, the movement was running, though the source recommended a service for future operation and preservation. The source provides a qualified condition report, noting the case is 'slightly scuffed to the surface' and the dial has minor edge chips. It clarifies that such reports are subjective opinions and do not guarantee the authenticity of individual components.
- Construction and Market Context
- This pair-cased clock watch is dated by the source to circa 1796 and is noted as being made for the Turkish market. The gold exterior features a decorative program including polychrome enamel vignettes of the Sultan Ahmet Camii Mosque, military trophies, and chequer-board patterns along the band. The outer case is pierced and decorated with polychrome enamel military trophies over translucent deep purple enamel, accented by gilt foliate swags in turquoise, sky blue, and white. The pendant includes a diamond-set push piece, and the inner case is pierced and engraved with scrolls.
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 hands are catalogued as later replacements.
- Research required: Movement signature includes Borrel, differing from the dial signatures.
- Research required: Only the dial face is visible in the photograph; movement, inner case, and rear enamelling are known only from the catalogue description.