Venus et Adonis Enamel Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Case circa 1690, movement circa 1730
This horological object comprises a gold, copper, and enamel pocket watch featuring a double-body, bassine-form case enamelled in Augsburg circa 1690. The case back displays a scene of Venus and Adonis, while the band is decorated with landscape vignettes and fruit compositions.
The pendant and bow are later additions. The movement includes Egyptian pillars, a fusee with chain, and a verge escapement with a plain brass three-arm balance and flat balance spring, complemented by a pierced and engraved gilt brass English balance cock. The dial is a later custom-made white enamel display with Roman numerals, paired with gold Louis XV hands. The interior of the case back features turquoise blue enamel.
The total diameter of the watch is 38 mm.
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
- Verge & pair-cased watch
- Maker
- Henry Stockard
- Diameter
- 38 mm
- Case style
- Bassine
- Case origin
- Augsburg
- Place recorded
- Case: Augsburg, Movement: England
- Escapement type
- Verge
- Dial description
- White enamel with Roman numerals
- Movement signature
- Signed on the back plate
- Maker / attribution
- Henry Stockard
Design
- Visible features
- • Case back features an enamelled scene of Venus and Adonis • Band decorated with landscape and fruit motifs • Interior of the watch back enamelled in turquoise blue • Later white enamel dial with Roman numerals
- Movement and Dial
- The movement is a hinged gilt brass full plate mechanism. It features Egyptian-style pillars, a fusee with a chain, and a verge escapement. The regulation is provided by a plain brass three-arm balance with a flat balance spring, and the assembly includes a gilt brass balance cock that is pierced and engraved. The movement is signed on the back plate and is attributed to Henry Stockard, circa 1730. The watch is fitted with a later custom-made white enamel dial featuring Roman numerals and gold Louis XV hands. The auction description notes that both the movement and the dial were custom-made later to fit the case.
- Case and Enamel Work
- The watch features a double-body, bassine-form case constructed from gold, copper, and enamel. The back is decorated with an enamel painting depicting the mythological scene of Venus and Adonis. The band of the case incorporates a series of landscape vignettes interspersed with panels featuring fruit compositions. The case includes a gold split bezel decorated with palm leaves. The interior of the case back is finished with a turquoise blue enamel. According to the auction description, the pendant and bow are later replacements added to the case, which originates from Augsburg around 1690.
- Condition and Attribution
- The auction description reports that the object combines components from different periods, specifically identifying the case enamelled in Augsburg around 1690 and a movement by Henry Stockard dating to approximately 1730. The later, custom-made nature of the movement, dial, pendant, and bow is explicitly noted. The auction house assigns the watch an overall grading of AA, indicating a very good state of preservation. Individual component grades for the case, movement, and dial are provided in the source documentation to reflect their recorded condition.
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 pendant and bow are reported as later additions
- Research required: The movement and dial are reported as later custom-made components