Beschreibung:

A rare Queen Anne verge pocket watch movement Thomas Tompion and Edward Banger, number 275 circa 1707 The gilt full plate single fusee verge movement with three Egyptian pillars and additional brass and blued steel inverted baluster-turned pillars pinned through the backplate, scroll-pierced stop-iron block and sprung three-arm steel balance, the backplate with fine scroll-bordered symmetrical foliate scroll-pierced and engraved balance cock centred with a with female mask and with conforming pierced broad foot flanked by silvered regulation disc with adjacent applied scroll-pierced infill opposing signature THO. TOMPION, EDW. BANGER, LONDON above engraved serial number 275, (formerly with quarter repeat mechanism - now removed) the dial plate with engraved initials RE to edge and fitted with a white enamel Roman numeral dial with Arabic five minutes to outer track and blued steel beetle-and-poker hands (enamel with losses), the pillar plate 39mm diameter. Thomas Tompion has often been referred to as the 'father of English clock and watchmaking'. When considering the legacy of his work and influence on subsequent generations, such a compliment is justly deserved. Born in Ickwell, Suffolk in 1639 Thomas Tompion appears to have developed an affinity for metalworking from his father, also named Thomas, who worked as a blacksmith. By 1670 Tompion had moved to London and was working in the clock and watchmaking trade. Although there is no record of his apprenticeship or whether he received any formal training prior to moving to London, he quickly became established and obtained his freedom of the Clockmaker's Company in late 1671. His early clocks demonstrate a close working relationship with the Fromanteel, East and Knibb workshops. Around this time Tompion became friendly with eminent mathematicians and scientists such as Robert Hooke and Jonas Moore - perhaps the most progressive and inventive minds of the day. Such associations lead to Royal commissions, firstly from Charles II for whom Tompion is known to have made one of the earliest balance-spring watches in 1676 and later William III who ordered numerous clocks to furnish his various palaces throughout his reign. As well as being an extremely talented artisan Tompion was also commercially minded, cleverly introducing serial numbering for his watches and clocks from around 1681/2. This, as well as maintaining a high degree of refinement in both the design and construction of his clocks and watches, ensured the highest level of exclusivity for clients purchasing from him. In around 1701 Thomas Tompion took a former apprentice, Edward Banger, into partnership. Banger was originally apprenticed to Thomas Ashby in 1687 but was transferred over to Tompion and gained his freedom of the Clockmaker's Company in 1695. He was clearly a talented maker (when considering the few examples signed by Banger alone) however a serious problem between him and his former master caused the partnership to come to an abrupt end in 1707-8 for reasons unknown. On Banger's departure Tompion reverted to working alone until he found confidence in George Graham who had been engaged as a journeyman for Tompion since 1696. Graham's character had already been given the seal of approval by Tompion who allowed him to marry his niece, Elizabeth, in 1704; however it still would be a few years before Tompion would take Graham into partnership which he eventually did in 1711. Thomas Tompion died in November 1713 leaving the business to George Graham who maintained the same exacting standards and became famous in his own right with notable achievements including the development of the deadbeat escapement for pendulum clocks and the cylinder escapement for watches. Edward Banger outlived Tompion by six years, his abilities as a highly skilled watchmaker are demonstrated within a fine jewelled movement dating to around 1715 by him illustrated by him in Evans, Jeremy THOMAS TOMPION at the Dial and Three Crowns page 5