English gold half hunting cased repeating watch Circa 1866

Gold and diamond set half quarter repeater by Edward John Dent
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An English 18 Carat gold and diamond set half hunting cased half quarter repeating lever pocket watch, circa 1866. 4/5 Plate movement according to Nicole Nielsen, two hammers, two gongs, screw compensation balance, early seesaw winding mechanism. White enamel dial with Roman hours, outer minute divisions and auxiliary seconds at 11 o’clock. Plain case, old cut diamond set radial Arabic hours on the front, a monogram on the back also set with old cut diamonds, maker’s mark AN for Alexis Nicole from Nicole & Norbier. Dial and movement signed and numbered, case numbered, case and movement with matching numbers.
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Diameter: 39 mm
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Weight: 66 g
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Signed: Dent Maker to the Queen 61 Strand & 34 Royal Exchange London
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Alexis Nicole from Nicole & Norbier entered the firm on May 1st, 1865.
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Dent. A celebrated watchmaking dynasty founded by Edward John Dent (1790-1853), known for high quality watches, clocks, chronometers and regulators. After starting life as a tallow chandler, Dent switched to watchmaking. From 1815 to 1829, he was employed by the Vulliamys and the Barrauds. In 1830 Edward John entered into a partnership with John Roger Arnold. In 1840 he opened his own workshop at 33 Cockspur Street, London. He was the builder of ‘Big Ben’, the famous Westminster clock. He made many fine chronometers and watches as well as others of a high commercial grade. The firm continued until relatively recently at 41 Pall Mall, London, as E. Dent & Co. Ltd.
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Nicole, Nielsen & Co had a reputation for the fine quality of their watches, they were one of the main suppliers for Chas. Frodsham. It started out as a manufacturer of chronographs but extended its product range to include pocket chronometers, carrousel watches and tourbillons for well-known brands in London. The Swiss parent company Nicole & Capt was founded in Geneva in 1837. Adolphe Nicole and his partner Henry Capt opened their first branch in 1840 in London. Jules Capt joined the company as a partner in 1843 after Henry Capt had died. One year later Adolphe Nicole received his first patent. He was issued two more patents, in 1862, for a chronograph movement, and in 1870, for a resilient lever. Shortly after Jules Capt’s death in 1876 Sophus Emil Nielsen, son-in-law and employee of Nicole, became a partner and applied for a patent for an up and down mechanism. In 1888 Sophus Emil Nielsen sold the company to Mr North and held the position of managerial director together with Harrison Mill Frodsham. Whereas Nicole, Nielsen & Co probably had many of their special parts made in Switzerland, the majority of parts were produced on the premises at Soho Square. In 1898 31-year-old Robert Benson North became the director of the company. Sophus Emil Nielsen died in 1899. In 1904 the production range was extended to include tachometers for cars and a new factory for this line was built in Watford in the northwest of London. In 1917 the company name changed from ‘Nicole Nielsen & Co Ltd’ to ‘North & Sons Ltd, 14 Soho Square’. After the First World War, the company suffered heavy sales losses. Robert Benson North died in 1929 and in 1932 the company entered into liquidation, truly a sad ending for a staff of 350 in Watford and for the employees at headquarters at Soho Square.