An early 18th century open face pocket watch by Thomas Tompion & Edward Banger, London.

An early 18th century open face pocket watch by Thomas Tompion & Edward Banger, London. Gilt metal consular case. Signed key wind full plate fusee and chain movement with pierced balance cock, verge escapement and Egyptian pillars. White dial with Roman numeral hour markers. 50mm.

"Thomas Tompion was born in 1639, the son of a blacksmith and began his professional horological journey after becoming an apprentice with the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in around 1671. By 1676 he was appointed clockmaker for the Royal Greenwich Observatory following a commission by Charles II to make two clocks accurate enough to be used for astronomical calculations.

Although Tompion is often referred to as the "Father of English Clockmaking" his talents were not just limited to clocks, he also made watches.

Later in his career, in 1701 Tompion partnered with Edward Banger, who was married to Tompion's niece. The clocks and watches made during this period are said to be some of the finest that the Tompion workshop produced. It is not clear why, but the partnership lasted for just six years, at which point Banger was dismissed from the premises. With this information we are able to date the pocket watch available in this sale to between 1701 and 1707.

Thomas Tompion was an incredibly successful watchmaker and retailer, making around 5500 watches and 700 clocks throughout his career. It is probably a consequence of this high level of output that Tompion created another horological first, still seen on watches to this day.... the serial number!"

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