AN ANCIENT WATCH.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 96, 25 April 1907, Page 3

AN ANCIENT WATCH.

There is in the possession of Miss Emily Seymour (at prese&fc" residing in Hayelock) a singular specimen of _ the ancient- watchmaker's work. It is a watch of very peculiar make, in the shape of a ball of brass, with an outer case of pinchbeck, which conies off. The back of each case is covered with leather. The works inside the ball are solid, and a jeweller told the owner j that they were properly jewelled. This watchmaker thought the watch so valuable, from its age and good make, that he would notj after repairing it, senu it by post, but told her that it could wait for a friend or messenger who would be careful of it. It is a hunting watch of at least two hundred years old. There was only one other known in South Africa, in Cape Colony. It belonged to an old Huguenot family. Miss Seymour showed her watch, many years ago, to an antiquarian in London, and he pronounced'it to be one of the earliest watches made j for the hunting fields of Holland or England. The hands are quite modern —-some years ago these replaced an old broken pair of large, flat back hands. Two sets of numerals are used on the enamel or china face—the minutes in common numerals and others in Roman figures, ahe workmanship inside ' is beautifully ornamented with a stag's head and curled antlers; and there is a minute-hand and a small dial for regulating the works. The pinchbeck has been riddled by some little boring insect, but that is only in the loose case; they have not appeared either in the gold works or in the brass. The greatest difficulty was found in procuring a. glass to fit the face, or a key to wind it, but it answers well to the winding now. It loses time somewhat, but the regulator is not understood by its present owner, as it is contained in a small dial of six .Roman numerals.

In the hollow of the back cover of the case are^ three circular pieces of paper engraved with the names of watchmakers. One paper bears the legend: ".Haddark, watchmaker to the Royal Family; 6 Pulteney Bridge, Bath." A second is inscribed: " Henry Stowbridge, Dawlish, Devonshire" ; and the third bears the name of

" Frankcom and Mowat, 7 Quiet Street, Bath." It is surmised that the watch passed through the hands of these jewellers, for repair.—Guardian.