English gold lever with Bonniksen 52½ minute carrousel Circa 1915

Gold keyless lever by Bahne Bonniksen
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An English 18 carat gold open faced keyless carrousel pocket watch, circa 1915. The movement features a gilded ¾ plate, a 52 ½ minute revolving carriage with lever escapement, a free sprung bimetallic compensation balance, decoratively engraved cock and a diamond endstone. It is numbered and signed B. Bonniksen 16 Norfolk St Coventry. The dial is white enamel with Roman numerals, an outer minute ring, Arabic subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and blued steel spade hands. The polished gold case includes a hand-setting button in the band with a gold olivette, a gold pendant and bow, a monogram on the back and a plain gold cuvette. It was hallmarked in London in 1915. The maker’s mark is F.T. for Frederick Thoms, the case number is rubbed and the cuvette is numbered.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Signed: B. Bonniksen 16 Norfolk St Coventry
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The dial is in good condition but has a scratch on the glass above the subsidiary dial and a small chip on the edge at VIII. The case shows scuffs throughout and has monogram initials (LER). The movement is running.
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Bonniksen (1835–1935) was a Danish horologist who moved to England during his early years as a watchmaker. He was highly skilled and is best known for patenting the carrousel mechanism in 1892, which could potentially serve as an alternative to Breguet’s tourbillon to counteract the effects of gravity on the watch. In 52½ minute carrousel watches, the carriage, mounted on a wheel driven off the third wheel pinion, revolves every 52½ minutes.