English gold quarter repeating repoussé watch Circa 1755

Gold quarter repeating watch with repoussé scene
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An English very fine gold pair cased quarter repeating watch with repoussé scene by Michael Moser, circa 1755, gilded full plate movement, cylinder escapement, pierced and foliate engraved masked balance cock, diamond endstone, plain flat balance, repeating on a bell to the inside case back, turned pillars, gilt metal dust cap, movement and dust cap signed Tho. Mudge, London.
White enamel dial, Roman numerals, Arabic outer minute ring, gold beetle and poker hands.
Gold inner case with floral pierced and engraved band inhabited by birds, flowers and dolphin heads, grotesque mask engraved to the base, the centre of the back with engraved flower, maker’s mark TC possibly for Thomas Colley or Thomas Carpenter, gold outer case with repoussé scene depicting Erminia and the Shepherds, signed G.M. Moser F. beneath the scene, bezel pierced and chased with shell and scrollwork between panels of pierced and engraved foliage, a snake around the push piece, pulse piece to the bezel between 4 and 5 o’clock.
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Diameter: 48 mm
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Signed: Tho. Mudge London
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George Michael Moser’s exceptional repoussé scene to the case back is taken from Tasso’s epic poem of the First Crusade, ‘Jerusalem Delivered’. Erminia, daughter of the Saracen king, dismounts her horse and talks to a shepherd.  The shepherd’s wife can be seen to the left of the scene.  Erminia is searching for the Christian knight Tancred whom she loved and believed to be wounded, having been sent for by Tancred’s armour bearer, Vafrino. Erminia is disguised in the armour of Clorinda, a female warrior whom Tancred had loved but who he had tragically killed in battle.  Moser’s design for the scene in pen and ink wash and a further preparatory sketch is illustrated together with the present watch in Edgcumbe’s, ”The Art of the Gold Chaser”.

George Michael Moser, born in January 1706 in Switzerland, was one of the most prominent chasers of his day. He worked for his father, also a chaser, until he moved to London in 1726, where he worked for a coppersmith and then a cabinet maker.  His skill was such that he became a drawing master to King George III and designed the great seal for him. Throughout his career, Moser worked mainly with Thomas Mudge, George Graham, William Webster, and John Ellicott. He specialized in figural renderings and often used classical origines for his scenes. He was widely known and respected in the artistic field, was one of the original founders of the Royal Academy along with Sir Joshua Reynolds, and was elected Keeper of the Academy by King George III in 1768. Moser died in January of 1783, and was honoured by Sir Joshua Reynolds in his obituary as “the father of the present race of artists” see, Edgcumbe, ”The Art of the old Chaser”.