109th Auction
2023/11/18
Lot 213
J.W. Benson
A very fine London minute repeating hunting case pocket watch with chronograph. Destinguished quality with a heavy case by F. Thoms
estimated
6.000—9.000 €
Price realized
-
specific features
Case
18 K gold, polished, case maker's punch mark "FT" (Frederick Thoms), rotating pendant.
Dial
Enamel.
Movement
4/5 plate movement, 2 hammers, 2 gongs, English lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance, freesprung blued balance spring.
Diam.53 mm
Circa1860
Ctry.England
Wt.162 g
The English watchmaker James William Benson came from a watchmaking family which had run its own company since 1749. Benson worked as a watchmaker from 1857 to 1887; around 1865 he began describing himself as "Watchmaker to the Prince of Wales". At the time the company was very well-established and offered a product range of pocket watches of all kind, complications, and pocket and marine chronometers; Benson used movements by Victor Kullberg, Mercer, and Usher & Cole amongst others. Clocks and church clocks were produced - the town hall of Portsmouth for example has one of Benson’s clocks. Later Arthur H. and Alfred Benson took over the running of the company.