Gold Case Pocket Watch - Movement Marked London

[larrywseale]

A friend send me the picture looking for help. It's the back case of a pocket watch that has a fusse movement & he thinks it dates to about 1840. The movement is marked London & the number on the movement & case match.

Any chance a London watchmaker imported the case? Perhaps from France?

Thanks for the help.

[silverly]

I can't make out the name or word after Wm Mitchell, but I think that at the least William Mitchell who was in business in Richmond, Virginia may have had something to do with retailing this watch.

[larrywseale]

According to my friend, it's JUNIOR.

Thanks I'll check it out

[silverly]

Willliam Mitchell Jr is in George Barton Cutten's book "The Silversmiths of Virginia." Mitchell was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1795. His family moved to Richmond during the second decade of the nineteenth century. This gentleman was with various concerns in Richmond from 1815 and went into business for himself sometime after 1818. He was in business in Richmond until 1845. He died in 1852.

[dognose]

Curious set of pseudo marks, the first, the closest that I can think of is Unicorn's Head for Dublin 18ct, but facing the wrong way, the second is London 18ct, and the third, well, I'm not sure if thats a crowned Leopard's Head, or Crowned Harp, but if it is the Crowned Harp, then that's where it gets really interesting. It is of interest because of the bar that runs through it, this was the design proposed for the ill-fated New Geneva Assay Office in Waterford to be used on 22ct gold.

As there was really no interest in the history of hallmarking until the second half of the 19th century, I wonder what made William Mitchell chose such a device? But perhaps it's just supposed the Leopard's Head after all.

Trev.

[larrywseale]

Thank you very much