English gold keyless half-hunting cased pocket watch Circa 1870

Gold half hunter watch by Hunt & Roskell
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A rare English gold half-hunting cased keyless lever watch with ruby-set bezel and enamel painting of Napoleon III by C. Glardon, circa 1870. This watch features a gilded ¾-plate movement with a lever escapement and a bimetallic compensation balance. It is signed and numbered Hunt & Roskell, London, 156 New Bond St. The white enamel dial features Roman numerals, an outer minute ring, and blued steel double-spade hands. The gold half-hunter case has front and back bezels set with rubies. Additionally, it has a glazed aperture on the front cover surrounded by blue enamel Roman numerals, an inner minute ring, and a red enamel L monogram on the back. The first cuvette is plain gold, concealing a secondary cuvette with a polychrome enamel painted portrait of Napoleon III wearing the sash for the Chief of the Order of the Légion d’Honneur, signed by C. Glardon. The case maker’s mark is AS for Alfred Stram.
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Diameter: 39 mm
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Signed: Hunt & Roskell, London
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Louis Napoleon III (1808–1873) was the nephew of Napoleon I and served as President of the Second Republic of France. In 1852, he ascended to the position of Emperor of the French. His reign, which lasted for two prosperous decades, came to an end in 1870 following the defeat of his army during the Franco-Prussian war. Charles-Louis-François Glardon (1825–1887) was a renowned Swiss enameller celebrated for his exceptionally fine enamel portraits. He was a skilled draughtsman who aimed to “paint on the paste exactly as one paints on a canvas” (Emaux et Miniatures, Musée d’art et d’histoire, Genève, 1955, p. 20). He received his training from his equally famous and talented brother, Jacques Aimé Glardon (1815–1862). Alfred Stram was a prolific London-based watch case maker who collaborated with various high-quality watchmaking companies.
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Hunt & Roskell (1843 – 1897) English watch manufacturer.
The company was originally founded by the renowned gold and silversmith Paul Storr. When Storr formed a partnership with John Mortimer and John Samuel Hunt, in addition to their original trade in gold and silverware and jewellery, they also began selling watches from their store on New Bond Street. The partnership came to an end in 1838; Mortimer, along with JS and J. Hunt, continued trading as Mortimer & Hunt at 156 New Bond Street. In 1843, Robert Roskell joined the company, which then operated under the name Hunt & Roskell until it was acquired by JW Benson in 1866. Hunt & Roskell also had operations in Manchester, where they manufactured watches for the Chinese market as well as fine minute repeaters and watches with tourbillons and spring escapements. In 1867, Hunt & Roskell exhibited at the Paris World’s Fair. From 1843 to 1849, Charles Frederick Hancock was a business partner in the company.
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In 1844, the firm was listed with John Samuel Hunt (partner), John Hunt (partner), Robert Roskell (partner), Charles Frederick Hancock (partner), Charles Mugoeridge (associate), Thomas Nicholls (associate), Charles Fines (employee), Joseph Headford (apprentice), William Frampton (apprentice), and other individuals such as Rothing, Day, and John Dixon (supervisor), likely to be John Dixon Metcalfe, a clerk at Storr and Mortimer.