Lot 194

Markwick Markham & Borrell, London, Movement No. 24948, 46 mm, 93 g, circa 1810
A rare quarter repeating gold enamel triple-cased pocket watch for the Ottoman market
Case: Transport case - gold, scalloped edge with polychrome flower decoration in Champlevé enamel, partly translucent and opaque enamelled, glazed back cover, large lateral hinge. Outer case - gold, scalloped edge with polychrome flower Champlevé enamel decoration, partly translucent and opaque enamelled, in the centre on the back side a waved cartouche with harbour scene framed by a translucent red and opaque green enamelled border, large lateral hinge. Inner case - gold, lavishly hand-engraved and pierced border with red and white enamelled flowers, in the centre a waved plaque with a bouquet of summer flowers against an apple-green background, polychrome enamelled bezel and pendant, diamond-set pusher for repetition via pendant, rear bell. Dial: enamel, radial Ottoman numerals, gold Poker & Beetle hands. Movm.: full plate movement, keywind, firegilt, signed, applied florally engraved ornaments, 2 hammers, three-arm steel balance, finely florally engraved balance cock, chatoned diamond endstone on balance.
James Markwick & Markwick Markham
James Markwick and his son James were both fine watchmakers and worked in London. The elder was apprenticed on 25 June 1656 to Richard Taylor, and subsequently to Edward Gilpin. He became free of the Clockmakers' Company on 6 August 1666. Six apprentices were bound to him between 1674 and 1699. In 1673 he succeeded the business of Samuel Betts behind the Royal Exchange. Although he held office in the Clockmakers' Company, he was irregular in attendance, ceasing to tend to its affairs after 1700. He worked until at least 1706. His son, James Markwick Jr., became free of the Company in 1692 by patrimony. The younger James Markwick was an eminent maker, Master of the Clockmakers' Company in 1720 and a very early user of jeweled bearings. In later years he was in partnership with his son-in-law Robert Markham, who succeeded him using the trading name of Markwick Markham, which became famous for watches destined for the Turkish market. Not only did this notoriety encourage the appearance of spuriously signed watches, but at the end of the century Markham, or his successor, associated the names of other watchmakers with their own products intended for the East. The makers thus found associated are: Francis Perigal, Peter Upjohn, H. Story, Borrell, John Johnson, Louis Recordon, Dupont. All were reputable watch-makers in their own right, selling other products under their own names.

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