Rare American silver pair cased verge pocket watch Circa 1790

Silver open faced pocket watch by Thomas Parker
–
An extremely rare American pair cased verge pocket watch, circa 1790.
Two cases: outer case – silver, polished, à goutte; inner case – silver, polished. Signed and numbered movement protection cap with case maker’s punch mark ID. Enamel dial with radial Roman hours and spade hands. Full plate movement, key wind, signed and gilt, with applied engraved floral decorations, chain/fusee, solid circular movement pillars, three arm steel balance, fine florally engraved, pierced balance cock with mascaron, and chatoned diamond endstone on balance.
–
Diameter: 55 mm
–
Weight: 139 g
–
Signed: Thomas Parker, Philadelphia
–
Thomas Parker (1761-1833)
 Thomas Parker was a famous watchmaker, an active Quaker, and a member of the Abolition Society. Parker’s reputation as a clockmaker and participation in important community activities is well documented. He was the president of the Mechanics Bank, president of the Board of Managers of the Almhouse, and a member of The Select and The Common Council. He apprenticed for eminent makers David Rittenhouse and John Wood and therefore was trained by two of the best Philadelphia clock and watchmakers of the time.

His working dates are recorded as 1783 to 1817, and he had his shop in Philadelphia by 1783 at 13 South 3rd Street. Parker maintained the State House clock, and his regulator was regarded as the standard precision timekeeper of the time. His shop must have been impressive; when Meriwether Lewis was outfitting the instruments for the Corps of Discovery Expedition in 1803 (the Lewis and Clark expedition commissioned by President Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Purchase), he was able to buy an Arnold gold cased chronometer that Parker had in stock for $250.00, plus seventy-five cents for the winding key!