Car Boot Curiosity or Treasure?

[Marc]

Here is the latest addition to my watch collection.

Whilst raking through a rummage box on a car boot stall in Leicestershire this morning, this sorry looking object caught my eye.

Not too pretty....

At this point I was still not sure what I had picked up but curiosity got the better of me so I asked the price.

£2 quickly changed hands and it was mine. And here is what I found.

So here is what I think I know;

1. Old

2. Verge escapement with a fusee

3. Missing hair spring and fusee chain

4. Probably ought to have some sort of regulator for the balance which is notable by its absence

5. Appears to only have an arbor for an hour hand, no minutes

6. English (London)

7. James Pigney? can find no reference to the name

8. Light pressure on the fusee cone and even without a hair spring she runs!!!!

 

This one is going to be quite a challenge and an education to do something with.

Would anyone care to have a go at filling in my missing information or correcting my misinformation. I would love to know something of its history.

 

pspbrwse.jbf

[frenchie]

Without the chain and the hairspring, it's not going to be easy...

I'm not sure a regulator is expected.

[Marc]

Fortunately I have amongst my accumulation of assorted horological spares (or as the misses refers to it, junk), a handful of fusee chains and a variety of colleted hair springs. Whether anything is suitable remains to be seen. I'm curious about the regulator though. It looks to me as though there is something missing below the balance wheel.

[oldhippy]

The pillars are known as Egyptian by the style.

[JohnR725]

6 hours ago, Marc said:

James Pigney

I have a book of watchmakers in clockmakers the world by GH Baillie. So looking up the name only gives us a partial answer. PIGNEY, -----  London 1743 watchmaker and notice there's no first name?

[szbalogh]

Definately a treasure

[Geo]

Great find for the Money Marc.  I hope you manage to turn the restoration of this one into detailed story with pictures.

[Marc]

Geo,

I will certainly document the progress when I get around to sorting it out. I think I have a bit of research to do to start with though.

[vinn3]

the  case is called a "pear case".    vinn

[Geo]

Actually it's a "Pair Case Watch" Vinn, no fruit involved!

[Delroyb]

The Egyptian pillars can help date it. Speaking to my brother in laws dad a while back, he explained that pre something like 1750 they were the norm. Then one got round pillars. Will have to check in my Britens Clock and Watch volume.

[oldhippy]

50 minutes ago, Delroyb said:

The Egyptian pillars can help date it. Speaking to my brother in laws dad a while back, he explained that pre something like 1750 they were the norm. Then one got round pillars. Will have to check in my Britens Clock and Watch volume.

No need to look in that book. There's plenty of info on the net about the progress of pocket watches with good illustrations.

[Marc]

Delroyb, great info thanks.

Having had a quick look on the internet I am now wondering if these are Egyptian pillars or if they are Tulip pillars, it seems to be a fairly subtle distinction.

If they are Tulip then coupled with the fact that this watch has only an hour hand and no minute hand, I'm wondering if it might be earlier than 1750?

[bobm12]

mmm, sorry about my ignorance but that makes sense. Tulips have always been around, Egyptians only a few thousand years.

Sorry Marc, I don't know diddle squat about those pillars and the watch but I couldn't resist seeing a funny aspect in this great clue. I hope those pillars are enough to find the origins of the watch and honestly, I'm dying to see the whole thing restored to its former glory. I know that in your hands it is only a matter of time!

Cheers,

Bob 

[oldhippy]

I stand corrected they are tulip.

 

Left to right: tulip, Egyptian, square baluster, round baluster pillars.

[Delroyb]

Everyday is a school day!

[TimFitz]

On 9/4/2016 at 6:55 PM, Marc said:

Here is the latest addition to my watch collection.

Whilst raking through a rummage box on a car boot stall in Leicestershire this morning, this sorry looking object caught my eye.

Not too pretty....

At this point I was still not sure what I had picked up but curiosity got the better of me so I asked the price.

£2 quickly changed hands and it was mine. And here is what I found.

So here is what I think I know;

1. Old

2. Verge escapement with a fusee

3. Missing hair spring and fusee chain

4. Probably ought to have some sort of regulator for the balance which is notable by its absence

5. Appears to only have an arbor for an hour hand, no minutes

6. English (London)

7. James Pigney? can find no reference to the name

8. Light pressure on the fusee cone and even without a hair spring she runs!!!!

 

This one is going to be quite a challenge and an education to do something with.

Would anyone care to have a go at filling in my missing information or correcting my misinformation. I would love to know something of its history.

 

pspbrwse.jbf

Check this out on Ebay< it's not yours surly but bares a striking resemblance 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-56mm-Fusee-Silver-Bell-Strike-1-4-Repeater-L-Humbert-Girard-4-REPAIRS-/191875843458?&_trksid=p