English gilt metal and silver mounted verge Circa 1620

Early gilt metal and silver oval verge watch
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An English fine and early gilt metal and silver mounted oval verge watch, circa 1620, the movement is gilded oval full plate with engraved border, verge escapement, decoratively pierced and engraved pinned on floral balance cock and foot, flat balance, ratchet and click setup, gut line and fusee, baluster pillars, signed William Nash
The dial silver with an engraved townscape scene and a huntsman beneath, a chapter ring with Roman numerals, touch pins beneath, half hour divisions, surrounded by a gilded plate engraved with scrolling foliage, Angel’s head above 12 o’clock and a basket below 6 o’clock, double ended blued steel hand with a foliate head
The case is gilt metal with decoratively engraved borders, silver band engraved with scrolling foliage inhabited by squirrels and snails, the back cover with shuttered winding aperture.
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Diameter: 62 mm
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Width: 37 mm
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Signed: William Nash
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The dial of this watch has touch pins beneath the hours, allowing the user to feel the time. A feature more usually found on earlier watches, the use of touch pins was, however, still relatively common on contemporary German watches.  The silver dial is engraved with a charming townscape and a huntsman in the foreground taking aim at a rather large rabbit.

Britten, in his Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers, illustrates a very similar watch by William Yate, who was one of the Petitioners for the Clockmakers’ Company in 1622. In his discussion of the Yate watch, Britten mentions, although does not illustrate, a watch by William Nash as a comparison, noting that the Nash watch was owned by a Mr. Edward Parr.

Howard Marryat 1871-1944, a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, developed an extensive watch collection throughout his lifetime. He worked as an electrical engineer, and eventually became a prominent figure in the electrical and manufacturing industries. He partially owned a company called Marryat and Scott that produced lifts and other electrical equipment and headed the company for a little over 50 years. Marryat also wrote several books, most notably, Watches, From Henlein to Tompion, published in 1938. He developed a great interest in historic watches and the craftsmanship of their movements. His collection included pieces from John Arnold, Robert Pennington, and Jeremy East, along with many others. He completed the revision of the catalogue of watches in the Guildhall Museum, after which he became Freeman of the City of London. His son Robert 1910-1996 inherited this collection and eventually became acquainted with the famed watchmaker, George Daniels.  Daniels later married Robert’s daughter Juliet in 1964.