English Daniel Quare two train alarm verge watch Circa 1685

Two train alarm verge watch
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An English fine two train alarm verge watch, circa 1685, gilded full plate movement, verge escapement, decoratively pierced and engraved floral balance cock, worm and wheel setup, fusee and chain, three tulips and two vase shaped pillars, alarm sounding on a bell to the inside case back, signed Daniel Quare, London.
Silver champlevé dial, Roman numerals, with quarter hour divisions beneath, hours indicated by pointer fixed to central disc, alarm set by central hand against the Arabic numerals. Silver case with symmetrically arranged decoration on a matte ground, centred with an eagle upon a pedestal, vase of flowers above, heads of an angel and two dolphins below, the pierced band decoratively engraved with flowers and foliage, two dogs’ heads beneath pendant, lacking outer case.
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Diameter: 48 mm
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Signed: Daniel Quare London
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Formerly in the Marryat Collection, this fine alarm watch dates to circa 1685. The case is wonderfully decorated with tight, symmetrically arranged decoration, the design would have been taken from a contemporary Renaissance inspired published origin. When Marryat wrote his book Henlein to Tompion, the watch was shown in a much later outer repoussé case, the original outer case may have been of silver decorated turtle shell.

Daniel Quare 1647-1724 was born in Somerset. A highly esteemed watchmaker, Quare was admitted to the Clockmakers’ Company in 1671, later becoming Master in 1708. An important horological innovator, Quare invented a type of repeating mechanism around 1680. As a Quaker, Quare was unable to be appointed Royal Clockmaker, however, as Cedric Jagger notes in his book Royal Clocks, Quare “was given free access via the Back Stairs.” Indeed, Quare was well connected both at home and abroad, a fact borne out by the impressive wedding guest lists of his daughters Anne
and Elizabeth, which boasted noble families and envoys from around Europe. In 1718 Quare went into partnership with Stephen Horseman, after which their work was signed ‘Quare & Horseman’. Daniel Quare is buried at the Quakers’ cemetery at Bunhill Fields, Finsbury.