English hunting cased minute repeating watch Circa 1894

Gold minute repeating full hunter by Dent
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An English 18 carat gold hunting cased minute repeating keyless lever watch, circa 1894. Nicole Nielsen 3/4 plate gilt finished lever movement, bimetallic compensation balance, finely engraved balance cock, minute repeating on two hammers onto a gong. Gold cuvette. White enamel dial with Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds. Plain case, engraved initials to the front, repeating slide in the band, swivel bow. Case and cuvette numbered, stamped ‘EN’ for Emil Nielsen and with London date letter for 1894, dial signed, movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Signed: Dent Watchmaker to the Queen 33 Cockspur Street London
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The present watch is made by the celebrated firm E. Dent & Co., originally founded by the English watchmaker Edward John Dent (1790-1853), renowned for his high quality pocket and marine chronometers, regulators as well as large clocks he made for the Royal Exchange and Westminster (Big Ben). He worked in the workshops of Vulliamy and Paul Philippe Barraud and went into partnership with the famous John Roger Arnold 1830. When the partnership of ‘Arnold & Dent’ expired in 1840, he established himself at 82 Strand (later moving to 61) and also took workshops at 34 Cockspur Street and inside the Royal Exchange.
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After Edward John’s death, the businesses were taken over by his stepsons Frederick and Richard, followed by their successors. The company’s name was consequently changed to E. Dent & Co.