English exceptionally rare large gold pocket watch Circa 1898-1899

Large gold pocket watch
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A fine and exceptionally rare and large 18 Carat gold keyless pocket watch with anti magnetic thirty-nine minute carousel regulator made by I.J.T. Newsome (London & Coventry) under licence to the patent and design of Bahne Bonniksen, with co axial button chronograph, instantaneous thirty minute register and fifths of a second calibrated scale. Case with London hallmarks for 1898-1899. Made by Robert Curtis, Hull circa 1898-1899.
Four body, and polished bassine case by Isaac Jabez Theo Newsome maker’s mark I.J.T.N, a co axial crown for start/stop, return to zero functions of the chronograph and hinged gold cuvette.
White enamel, by maker JK, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions, seconds divided into fifths, outermost scale calibrated to 300 units, subsidiary 30 minute register with radial Arabic numerals, subsidiary seconds and gold poire hands.
Frosted gilt movement with a three quarter plate, going barrel, thirty-nine minute carousel platform also driving an additional seconds pinion, brass lateral counterpoised lever escapement and brass escape wheel, cut bi metallic compensation balance with gold and platinum temperature and meantime adjustment screws, white metal alloy balance spring with Phillips’ terminal curve, diamond endstone and a chronograph mechanism on the dial plate.
Movement signed and numbered, case with the same serial number, punched on the dial plate ‘Newsome’ and numbered Bonniksen’s patent number punched on the plate beneath the barrel.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: Robert Curtis
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The Bonniksen carousel with chronograph is extremely rare, even more so with a carousel rotation of 39/40 minutes which is almost never found, the usual rotation being 52 ½ minutes. The variants of 12, 34 and 39 minutes exist only in very small numbers. In Bonniksen’s original booklet on the carousel watch this model is described on page 31 as a ‘Fly Back Chronograph Karrusel Watch. This watch has been specially designed and made to meet the requirements of timers for ascertaining the speed of moving objects. For timing the speed of horses, trains, vessels, motor cars etc, such a watch is admirably suited. Bonniksen’s patent was used by a variety of makers, the present watch was made by Isaac Newsome of London and Coventry and then retailed by Curtis in Hull.

Literature: For an in depth article on the carousel watches of Bahne Bonniksen.