English silver verge made for the Dutch market Circa 1760

Silver verge in triple cases by John Wilter 
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An English silver triple-cased verge pocket watch with date made for the Dutch market, a so-called Dutch forgery, circa 1760. Full plate movement, key wind, chain and fusee, three-arm brass balance. Silver champlevé dial with Roman hours and Arabic five-minute numerals. A silver transport case covered with shagreen, decorated with studs, a silver repoussé outer case showing chased flowers and leaves, an inserted polychrome enamel medallion on the back depicting a gallant scene with a young man trying to seduce his beloved with freshly picked cherries, the inner case is also silver with maker’s mark FI. Dial signed, movement signed and numbered, case numbered.
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Diameter: 62 mm
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Weight: 166 g
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Signed: Wilter London
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In his book, Brian Loomes describes John Wilter as a watchmaker who was active in London from 1760 to 1784 and presumably produced many verge pocket watches for the Dutch market. Other sources say that John Wilter is a made-up name because they see no proof that the man was truly a watchmaker or that he even existed. In that context his pieces are often labelled ‘Dutch forgeries’, these are contemporary forgeries of English watches dating from the second half of the 18th century that were usually made in continental Europe. The watches were of inferior quality and signed with a fictitious English name and the designation London for marketing reasons. Some timepieces made by John Wilter belong to important museums and collections such as the British Museum in London.