English cylinder watch with repousse scene Circa 1762

Gold cylinder watch with repousse scene by Henry Manly
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An English superb gold pair cased cylinder watch with repousse scene by Henry Manly, circa 1762, full plate fire gilt cylinder movement, pierced and engraved balance cock with asymmetric foliate decoration and diamond endstone, fusee and chain, pillars with pierced foliate scroll sides, white enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer Arabic minute track, blued steel beetle and poker hands, gilt metal dust cap, plain gold inner case, the pendant with a stylized floral boss to the top, gold repoussé outer case depicting the Judgement of Hercules, maker’s mark HT possibly for Henry Cleaver Taylor, repoussé case signed Manly fe, movement and cuvette signed Ellicott.
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Diameter: 49 mm
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Signed: Ellicott London
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The repoussé outer case by Henry Manly depicts the Judgement of Hercules, after a painting by Paolo de Matteis, now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. The scene retains superb definition and has a wonderful lustre.  Hercules is seen making a choice between Virtue and Vice, the latter reclining into the surrounding asymmetric cartouche to his right. Ellicott’s movement incorporates one of his distinctive pillar designs of single fluted columns, flanked by pierced foliate scrolls. Also notable is the continuously tapering minute hand, without banding or ribbing, which is typical of Ellicott watches from this period.