264 - Charles Clay / Ishmael Parbury - Jupiter und Danaë

Charles Clay / Ishmael Parbury - Jupiter und Danaë A magnificent London pair-cased quarter repeating verge pocket watch with "repoussé" decoration Dimensions 51 mm, circa 1730, Weight 146 g, Origin England Case: Outer case - 18 K gold, repoussé decoration, depicting Jupiter und Danaë and signed "Parbury Fecit", openwork edge. Inner case - 18 K gold, openwork edges, rear bell, movement protection cap. Dial: Gold, champlevé. Movm.: Full plate movement, chain/fusee, 2 hammers, three-arm brass balance. The reverse side of the outer casing, chased in high relief, depicts the mythological scene of Jupiter and Danaë within a cartouche. Outside the cartouche are pierced, chased and engraved sections between panels containing full-length putti with their arrows of love. The bezel is pierced, chased and engraved, and contains vignettes with symbols of the zodiac, which symbolise the four seasons: the scales (Libra), the crab (Cancer), the goat (Capricorn) and the ram (Aries). Zig-zag edge pattern. The inner case is openwork and engraved. It is decorated with volutes, acanthus scrolls, and mythical creatures. At the '6' and '12' o'clock positions, there are two cartouches featuring an engraved mascaron and geometric decoration. This watch is described in "The Art Of The Gold Chaser" by Richard Edgecumbe, Oxford 2000, page 140. Watchmaker Charles Clay was a native of Emley near Huddersfield in Yorkshire. Clay applied for a patent for a repeating, musical watch in February 1716; however, Daniel Quare disputed this patent and while the Attorney General made his decision in favour of Charles Clay, the Clockmaker’ company strongly supported Quare’ claim –Quare was a renowned maker and former Master of the Company. Clay’ patent application was finally dismissed after a year. In 1720 Clay established his workshop near St. Mary-Le Strand in London and in 1723 he was appointed clockmaker to His Majesty’ Board of works. He held the position at least until 1737; Clay presumably died sometime in 1739 –his will is dated January 18, 1739. Ishmael Parbury (c.1697-1746) was a leading gold chaser working in London in first half of 18th century. According to George Vertue recorded the following (Notebooks, III, pp.62 and 134): "Mr Ishmael Parbury. Gold chaser of watches, etc. of Salisbury Court deceased in September 1746 ... He was a man in his art of great excellency in the neatness and finishing correctness of his works, which gained him great esteem above any other Englishman and by that means he obtained the highest prices for his works... His collections sold for 258 pounds ... [he] was a man near fifty years of age". He was evidently a close friend of the other leading chaser of the time, the Swiss George Michael Moser who acted as his executor. The sale of his collection was held by Cock on 17/18 December 1746. Source: www.britishmuseum.org Case: very good. Dial: very good, slightly chipped. Movm.: to be restored.