English silver pair cased watch with centre seconds Circa 1778

Silver plain cylinder pocket watch
–
An English silver pair cased early centre second with cylinder escapement, circa 1778. The inner- and outer cases are both polished. White enamel dial, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute Arabic markers and blued steel beetle and poker hands. 38 mm. Frosted gilt full-plate movement with square baluster pillars, fusee and chain, cylinder escapement with brass escape wheel, steel balance with flat balance spring, single-footed cock with diamond endstone, gilt brass dust cap.
–
Diameter: 55 mm
–
Thickness: 27 mm
–
Signed: Thomas Mudge  London
–
Thomas Mudge was the second son of Zachariah Mudge, headmaster and clergyman, and his wife, Mary Fox. He was born in Exeter, but when he was young, the family moved to Bideford, where his father became headmaster of the grammar school. Thomas attended the same school and, when 14 or 15, was sent to London to be apprenticed to George Graham, a clock and watchmaker who had trained under Thomas Tompion. Graham’s business was situated in Water Lane, Fleet Street.
–
When Mudge qualified as a watchmaker in 1738 he began to be employed by a number of important London retailers. Whilst making a most complicated equation watch for clockmaker John Ellicott, Mudge was discovered to be the actual maker of the watch and was subsequently directly commissioned to supply watches for Ferdinand VI of Spain. He is known to have made at least five watches for Ferdinand, including a watch that repeated the minutes as well as the quarters and hours.