English verge pocket watch with repoussé decoration Circa 1770

Gold pair cased pocket watch by William Thornton, London
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A fine, rare English pair cased verge pocket watch with “repoussé” decoration “The Triumph of Mordecai“, circa 1770.
Two cases: outer case – gold and repoussé, with engraved and chased volutes and scrollwork, large lateral hinge and in very high relief depicting “Mordecai riding triumphantly through the streets of Susa, led by his enemy Haman“; inner case – gold and polished, with case maker’s punch mark “JW” and seven piece hinge.
Enamel dial with radial Roman hours and “Poker & Beetle” hands. Fire gilt, full plate movement, keywind and signed, with applied floral decorations, chain fusée, square baluster pillars, three arm steel balance and fine florally engraved and pierced balance cock with mascaron.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Weight: 94 g
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Signed: William Thornton, London
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The rarity of the watch stems from the very high relief and excellent condition of the repoussé. There are two types of repoussé techniques, one wherein the artisan hammers a single sheet of metal and eventually gets the desired motif and another, where the desired motif is made from two or more parts soldered together. The former is restricted in depth by the malleability of the material. This watch exemplifies the second technique. The frontal figures depth was achieved by breaking the sheet and curving the edges thus making three dimensional images. The background is made from another piece of gold sheet with relatively shallow figures which are then soldered with the front.
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The Triumph of Mordecai
Mordecai is one of the central characters in the Book of Esther. Mordecai was a Jew who lived in the town of Susa in Persia, where he worked in a position close to the Persian king. During that time he discovered a plot to assassinate the king and managed to foil it. Mordecai adopted his young cousin Esther, whom King Ahasuerus chose as his wife and queen after exiling Queen Vashti. King Ahasuerus eventually raised the official Haman to the highest position at court and it was decreed that all others should prostrate before him. When Mordecai refused to do so, Haman became incredibly angry and began planning the murder of all Jewish exiles in the Persian Empire. Mordecai discovers this and speaks to Esther; Esther discloses Haman’s plans as well as the fact that she is Jewish herself to the king, who orders Hamano to be executed. Mordecai is appointed to a high position at the court.