Fine early silver English pair cased verge watch Circa 1710

Fine silver pair cased verge watch
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A fine silver English pair cased verge watch, circa 1710, gilded full plate movement, verge escapement, decoratively pierced and engraved balance cock with birds, foliage and flowers, flat three-arm balance with spring, fusee and chain, Egyptian pillars, signed Fromanteel and Clarke.
Silver champlevé dial, Roman numerals with half-hour divisions between and to the ring beneath, outer Arabic minute ring, aperture for the date at 6 o’clock, outer gilded ring, tulip and poker hands, the centre pierced, chased and engraved with flowers and foliage, a grotesque head and a bird at 12 o’clock, a feeding squirrel at 3 o’clock, signed Fromanteel and Clarke.
Plain polished silver inner case with winding aperture, plain polished silver outer case with squared hinge and deep chamfer to the bezel, case maker’s mark ID with coronet above (probably James or John Delander).
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: Fromanteel and Clarke
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This handsome watch has a highly unusual pierced, chased and engraved centre to the silver champlevé dial. Beneath 12 o’clock, the grotesque head of a beast in profile appears to be on the point of swallowing a bird. Amongst the scrolling foliage, a charming squirrel can be seen feeding at 3 o’clock, whilst two banners above and below carry the names of the makers. 

This handsome watch has a highly unusual pierced, chased and engraved centre to the silver champlevé dial. Beneath 12 o’clock, the grotesque head of a beast in profile appears to be on the point of swallowing a bird. Amongst the scrolling foliage, a charming squirrel can be seen feeding at 3 o’clock, whilst two banners above and below carry the names of the makers. 

Ahasuerus Fromanteel the Younger and Christopher Clarke began a partnership circa 1680 to form the firm of Fromanteel and Clarke.  Fromanteel came from a family of distinguished watch and clockmakers, and worked in both London and Amsterdam.  He earned his Freedom from the Clockmakers’ Company in 1672.  Clarke, a British ex-patriate who resided in Amsterdam, married Fromanteel’s daughter in 1694. Clocks and watches signed ‘Fromanteel & Clarke’ were often manufactured in Amsterdam, and sold both there and in London.  Their partnership ended in 1703 when Fromanteel died, Clarke continued to work, joining a partnership with Fromanteel’s younger brother, Abraham.