19th Century Turkish Market 18K Gold Triple Case Pocket Watch
Made circa 1815, signed Markwick Markham and H. Story, London. 46mm diameter, 18K gold triple case open-face pocket watch. The outer case is decorated with a magnificent painted enamel scene of sailing ships entering the harbor within a mountainous landscape, the decorative border with scalloped edge; the Middle Case is decorated with multi-colored enamel with a plaque depicting a festive scene of flags, tents, musical drums, and arrows in a quiver on a translucent red background, the decorative border with scalloped edge; Inner case decorated with multi-colored enamel floral arrangement on pink background, decorative border. White enamel dial, Turkish numerals, gold beetle, and poker hands.
Gilt full plate, pierced and highly engraved cock and foot, diamond endstone, pierced scroll-capped pillars, chain fusée, verge escapement, key-wound. Accompanied with original winding key.
about Markwick Markham
Of the two London makers, James Markwick, father and son, the elder was apprenticed on 25 June 1656 to Richard Taylor being subsequently turned over 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 Samuel Betts behind the Royal Exchange. Although he held office in the Clockmakers’ Company, he was irregular in attendance, ceasing to pay any attention to its affairs after 1700. He worked until at least 1704 or 1706. His son, James Markwick junior, became free to the company in 1692 by patrimony and died in 1730. 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. 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, Henry Borrell, John Johnson, Louis Recordon, and Dupont.
All of them were reputable makers, selling other products under their own names. That Louis Recordon of Soho was an expatriate Swiss may imply that he was the channel for the Swiss movements or parts which were not infrequently used in London Productions for the Near East.
