Superb English astronomical verge, leather case Circa 1665

Silver astronomical verge watch in a leather outer case 
–
A superb English silver astronomical verge watch with indications for date, months with signs of the zodiac, day with the ruling planet, lunar date, moon-phases and planet hours in a leather outer case decorated with pique work, circa 1665, gilded full plate movement, verge escapement, decoratively pierced and floral engraved screwed-on balance cock, plain flat balance, worm and wheel set-up, fusee and chain, tulip pillars, signed Benjamin Hill Londini. Gilded dial with stippled ground, upper dial with central revolving disc indicating the date via a blued steel bug, turned blued steel hand indicating month with corresponding signs of the Zodiac and dates in each month upon which the signs of the Zodiac commence according to the Julian calendar, lower dial with Roman numerals and quarter-hour divisions, single blued steel hand, fan-form aperture indicating days of the week with corresponding allegorical figures, three apertures to the right for moon-phases with the time of moonrise below and moon age above. Plain silver inner case, split bezel for glass retention, case back with shuttered winding aperture, a leather outer case with fine decorative silver piqué work, the bezels decorated with groups and swags of small rosettes, central group of rosettes within a border surrounded by six large open tulips.
–
Diameter: 58 mm
–
Signed: Benjamin Hill Londini
–
This rare astronomical watch is in outstanding condition and has an excellent provenance having been in the collections of both Howard Marryat and George Daniels. The skillfully and clearly arranged dial emphasizes the complexity of its indications. The uppermost dial consists of a central revolving disc with three concentric rings and a fixed fourth outer ring. The inner ring indicates the dates in each month on which the signs of the Zodiac commence according to the old-style calendar, with the signs on the ring next to those dates. Both are read, together with the months shown in the third ring, against the central hand which turns one-twelfth faster than the disc, so advancing one month in each revolution. This hand requires re-setting only once a year when it reaches the blank ‘month’ marked between December and January. To the lower dial, a hand indicates the hours on the Roman numeral chapter ring. The fan form aperture to the left shows the days of the week with its corresponding allegorical figure, whilst all three apertures to the right relate to the moon – the circular aperture being the moon phases, with windows directly above and below for moon age and time of moonrise.

Benjamin Hill was apprenticed to Richard Child and Free of the Clockmakers’ Company on the 14th of January 1640, becoming its Master in 1657. He is recorded as having a wife named Gunnett and together they had at least eight children. Hill died in September 1670 and was buried at St Dunstan’s the-West.  An interesting article about Benjamin Hill, written by Jeremy Evans for Antiquarian Horology, gives an illuminating account of his life, including the detailed inventory of his will. Also mentioned in the article is an advertisement in the London Gazette, dated 1684, which describes a silver watch by Benjamin Hill which bears “the increase and decrease of the Moon…the names of the days of the Week…the hours of the Day on a little Dial-plate and short Figures, with another little Dial-plate having the Days of the Months and Planet Signs” – the watch was recovered from one Laurence Keck, a robber apprehended by the Keeper of Newgate London and the advert invites possible owners to come forward.