WINDMILLS, LONDON, A GOLD TWO-TONE PIERCED, ENGRAVED AND REPOUSSE, QUARTER-REPEATING, PAIR-CASED POCKET WATCH, WITH DUMB REPEATING

The outer repousse decorated case, finely pierced with scrolls, between four panels emblematic of the seasons, the reverse centred with repousse work depicting Diogenes of Sinope meeting Alexander the Great, with Sinope seated by his barrel and asking Alexander to move from his light, framed within a pierced and chased border between panels decorated with the four seasons, the inner case finely pierced around the body, the back chased with a family crest (as yet unidentified), the white enamel dial with outer five-minute Arabic markers, enclosing a ring with Roman chapters, blued steel beetle and poker hands, the movement with push/repeat on a bell from the pendant, signed gilt metal inner cover signed Windmills, LONDON 8558, pierced balance cock, engraved with a mask and with diamond endstone, signed plate Windmills, LONDON, slender tapering pillars, chain fusee and verge escapement, in a gilt metal and shagreen outer case

Outer case: 57.5mm diam.
Inner case 42.5mm diam.
Repousse case 51.0mm diam.

Augustin Heckel (d. 1770) was born in Augsburg around 1690.  His father was a goldsmith and worked as a chaser, from whom he learnt his craft.  Augustin worked in Germany and then Paris before settling in London as a young man.

He was among a number of foreign artists attracted to the thriving St Martin's Lane Academy community.  This group included other celebrated makers such as George Michael Moser and Henri-Francois Gravelot.

Probably one of the finest chasers, Heckel was also a painter and draughtsman.

Joseph Windmills was admitted to the Clockmakers Company in 1671 and made Master of the Company in 1702.  A maker of great repute, his status can be ranked alongside Tompion and Quare.  He entered into partnership with his son Thomas in around 1700, where their work was then signed 'Windmills'  He continued the business after his father's death in 1723.

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

Richard Edgcumbe, The Art of the Gold Chaser in Eighteenth-century London, Oxford University Press, 2000, pp. 56–58.

J. Abeler, Meister der Uhrmacherkunst, 2010.

Vide, James. A. Neale, Joseph and Thomas Windmills, Clock and Watch Makers 1671-1737, Ticehurst, 1999.


CONDITION REPORT
The watch is ticking when wound and runs well and the movement repeats.  The balance cock has had a small sector trimmed back at some point which would have acted as banking points for the balance with a raised in in it. The outer shagreen case is in good condition.  The repousse decoration has some slight wear to the character's faces, as would be expected and consistent with age.  The other decoration and piercing is in very good original condition.  Hinge is in very good condition.  The inner case is again in very good condition with really no wear.  Some slight mis-shaping on fretwork felt through the fingers.  As noted the enamel dial may be an 18th Century replacement as one would expect a gold dial, that said it sits very well and could easily be the original as others are noted in Neale's research as detailed in his book.

The movement of any watch has not been tested for accuracy or time keeping and Bellmans does not guarantee the future working of any watch. Please note that any individual movement parts may be replacements from originals due to any repair or restoration.