English gold lever with Bonniksen 34 minute carrousel Circa 1895

Gold open faced with center seconds
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A very fine English, very early, large, 18 Carat yellow gold, a keyless pocket watch with center seconds, circa 1895. Bonniksen’s patented 34 minute carrousel regulator with free sprung balance. Retailed by Fattorini & Sons, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The case with Chester hallmarks for 1895-1896. Mastermark (F&S), polished case, the back cover with engraved foliate monogram. Hinged gold cuvette.
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Two piece, white enamel dial, radial Roman numerals, outer minute and fifths of a second division. Gold poire hands. A gilt, half plate movement, ring turned pillars, spring barrel, jewelled to the center, some in screwed gold chatons, lateral lever escapement, bi metallic compensation balance with winged arms, gold temperature and meantime adjustment screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring with overcoil, whole on Bonniksen 34 minute carrousel.
Dial and movement signed by the retailer, Bonniksen patent mark on the pillar plate.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Signed: Bahne Bonniksen
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With a rotation of 34 minutes, this watch is one of the very rare variants of the standard Bonniksen 52 1/2  minute carrousel patented in 1893. It is therefore also an extremely early example of the carousel with hallmarks for 1895 on the case. The 34 minute carrousel is one of the three rarest carousel watches, the other two variants having rotation speeds of 12 and 6 minutes. The real success of Bonniksen’s carousel lay in the fact that it was an amazing timekeeper. This is due to the relatively slow rotation of the platform as opposed to the usual one minute rotation of the tourbillon. The carousel enjoyed enormous success at the Kew observatory trials.