Lot 303

J.W. Benson, 25 Old Bond Street, London, By Special Warrants to H.M. the Queen and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, Movement No. 3351, 51 mm, 133 g, circa 1900
An English minute repeating half hunting case watch and original box
Case: 18k gold. Dial: enamel. Movm.: 3/4 plate movement, 2 hammers / 2 gongs, English lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance.
James William Benson
The English maker 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.
Source: "Watch-Wiki" - "James William Benson", http://www.watch-wiki.de/index.php?title=Benson%2C_James_William, as of 03/19/2008.

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