English gold pair cased repousse verge watch Circa 1757

Gold pair cased repousse verge watch
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An English fine gold pair cased repousse verge watch, circa 1757,  gilded full plate movement, verge escapement, decoratively pierced and floral engraved balance cock, flat balance, fusee and chain, square baluster pillars, signed Isa. Alexander, Birmingham.
White enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer Arabic minute ring, blued steel beetle and poker hands.
Plain inner case with winding aperture to back, with maker’s mark IW (possibly John Watkins or John Wright), gold repoussé outer case with an asymmetric central cartouche depicting the Death of Dido, surrounded by flowers and shell motifs, the bezel similarly decorated.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Signed:  Isa. Alexander Birmingham
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The scene to the case back depicts the Death of Dido and is taken from Virgil’s Aeneid, closely following an engraving by Michel Dorigny (1617-1655) of 1643, made after a painting of about 1640 by his father-in-law, Simon Vouet 1590-1649, now in the museum of Dole, France. Dido, Queen of Carthage, is seen to the centre supported by an elderly servant, whilst a further servant is seen weeping with outstretched arms to the left. The winged figure of Iris, messenger of the goddess Juno sits to the right. Juno sent Iris to cut a lock of hair from Dido in order that Dido’s soul might survive. Although the repoussé scene is unsigned, it is of particularly high quality and compares favorably with work by known chasers and embossers of the period, such as Henry Manly.