99th Auction

2019/5/11

Lot 289

Thomas Earnshaw, London, Movement No. 3203, 56 mm, 153 g, circa 1798
An English pair-cased pocket watch with cylinder escapement by one of the most famous English chronometer makers
Case: 18k pink gold, case maker's punch mark "TH (Thomas Hardy)". Dial: enamel. Movm.: brass full plate movement, chain/fusee, balance stop device, three-arm steel balance, fine florally engraved, pierced balance cock.
Thomas Earnshaw (born 1749 in Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire, died 1829 in London) worked from 1794 to 1795 at 119 High Holborn and then also at 87 Fenchurch Street. There can be no doubt that he is the inventor of a spring detent chronometer escapement that outperformed the competition and prevailed over the next one and a half centuries; he also formed the concept of a balance wheel made from brass and steel that was to become the foundation of the future compensation balance.
In his pamphlet "Longitude: An Appeal to the Public…" Earnshaw (apart from attacking his enemies) describes the development of his chronometer escapement in great detail. His competitor John Arnold had the support of prominent people such as Sir John Banks, President of the Royal Society and Alexander Dalrymple, Hydrographer of the Admiralty.
Many famous mariners used Earnshaw’s watches with great success though; for example, no. 520 was used by Matthew Flinders on his voyage around Australia and no. 465 was in the property of the astronomer Crosley, who travelled with Flinders.

Sold

estimated
6.0008.000 €
Price realized
6.300 €