Daniel Quare Pocket Watch
Most any conversation about the greatest early English makers such as Thomas Tompion, Joseph Windmills, and Henry Jones includes Daniel Quare, an inventor of a number of important watch innovations. This watch was part of Doug Cowan’s collection (Mr. Cowan is a past Chairman of the NAWCC and National Watch & Clock Museum) and acquired from the well-respected watch dealer, Kurt Davenport. It is an example of Quare’s best quality work.
Circa 1695-1700 gilt-brass verge and fusee movement signed D. Quare London with inward facing script, number 2680. Intricate balance table with long streamers depicting foliage with narrow neck depicting a shell. Silver tompion regulator. Four Egyptian pillars and decorative fusee stop-work foot.
Silver, intricate champlevé dial signed Quare. Fine hands and early crystal. Split bezel. Inner case has 7-knuckle hinge, outer has a 5-knuckle hinge. Double struck makers’ mark likely “IR” with a crown above (James Roumieu) and date mark “P” for 1692. Roumieu was a case maker that Quare used (Priestley, p. 421). Date marks are exceedingly rare on silver watches at this time. Plain unmarked outer with monogram initials. 54 mm. It is not necessarily unusual for a case to predate or postdate the movement. This case is earlier and unfortunately the circumstance is lost to history. Thanks to Johnny Wachsmann at Pieces of Time, a specialist dealer of English watches, for providing information.
Additional References and recommended reading:
Keith Bates, Early Clock and Watchmakers of the Blacksmiths' Company, Pendulum Publications, 2018
Jeremy Evans, Jonathan Carter, Ben Wright, Thomas Tompion 300 Years, A Celebration of the Life and Work of Thomas Tompion, Water Lane Publishing, 2013
Brian Loomes, Clockmakers of Britain, 1286-1700, Mayfield Books, 2014
Philip Priestley, British Watchcase Gold & Silver Marks 1670 to 1970, National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors, 2018
Dennis Radage, Warner Meinen, Laila Radage, Charles Gretton, Clock and Watchmaking: Through the Golden Age, Three O’clock Publishing, 2016