Rare English gold half-ten minute repeating lever Circa 1802

Very rare gold half-ten minute dumb repeating lever watch
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A very rare and unusual English gold consular cased half-ten minute dumb repeating lever watch, circa 1802, gilded 1/2 plate, lever escapement, large Arnold type bimetallic two armed balance with platinum or white alloy weights, each arm with gold poising and steel timing screw, decoratively engraved balance cock, winding square sleeve and repeating spring cover, dumb repeating to blocks inside the case band, the barrel with a decorative oval plate signed Recordon, Late Emery, London.
White enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer minute ring, large subsidiary seconds, and blued steel skeletonized spade hands.
Gold consular case, long cylindrical repeating pendant and D-shaped bow, the plain polished back opening to reveal hinged cuvette with winding aperture, case maker’s mark LC  for Louis Comtesse incuse with scroll or fish above. Movement, dial and case signed.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Signed: Recordon Late Emery London
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This extraordinary watch incorporates a number of unusual features. Most significantly, the watch is a half-ten-minute dumb repeater. After striking the hours, a double blow sounds the ten minutes which are then followed by a single blow, if more than five minutes have elapsed. The lever escapement is of Pendleton’s form it is widely believed that Pendleton made or was at least heavily involved in the construction of watches with lever escapements signed by Josiah Emery and, therefore, it is unsurprising to find this type in a watch by Emery’s successor, Recordon. Interestingly, the lever is set at right angles which was to become a standard arrangement on English watches.  The end of the lever is looped so that it encircles the balance staff and impulse is received on the opposite side.  Of further note is the movement’s half plate layout, which may be one of the earliest examples of this style on an English watch and which has handsome engraved decoration to the cock and plates for the winding sleeve, barrel and signature. There is also an early overcoil hairspring.  

Louis Recordon (active 1778-1824) worked initially in Greek Street, Soho, and later, in 1797, he succeeded to Josiah Emery’s business at 33 Cockspur Street, Charing Cross. Recordon was also Breguet’s London agent, would have been familiar with Breguet’s use of an overcoil and would almost certainly have known the latter had made a half-ten-minute repeater.