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Featuring the Maundy International Estate of Watches
Sunday, May 6, 2012

Auction Location: Radisson Hotel Manchester  700 Elm St, Manchester NH 03101

• Dent, 33 Cockspur Street, London - Important spring detent chronometer tourbillion (French: "tourbillon," preferred by many as the original language term of Breguet, its inventor), keyless fusee with winding indicator, full four-year perpetual calendar with lunar phases, slide-activated minute repeater, made by Nicole Nielsen, so confirmed in the numerical record compiled by Vaudrey Mercer ("Edward John Dent and his Successors"). The massive 65mm (66mm with slide) 18K OF case with heavy gold cuvette bears London hallmarks for 1902, and mark "RN" for Robert Benson North (at that time director of Nicole Nielsen). The mvt is signed "Dent, Watchmaker to Her Late Majesty," the raised barrel cover bears crowns and inscribed garlands, one "To Him the Late Emperor of Russia," being Alexander III who passed on November 1, 1894, the other again "To Her Late Majesty," being Queen Victoria who died on January 22, 1901. The fully gilt 3/4 plate mvt reveals a one minute tourbillion mechanism, with skeletonized steel-topped carriage cock, type II under the system outlined by Reinhard Meis (Das Tourbillon). The spring detent chronometer escapement is fully capped within the three-sparred carriage, which itself carries a counterweight to the escapement element, putting the entire escapement carriage in poise as well as the balance itself. The flat hairspring has a Breguet overcoil. The inscribed raised barrel cover bears s#32276 as does the case (Dent's numbering), while the under-dial number is s#11494 (Nicole Nielsen's numbering). The watch is pin-set with protective shoulders, while the calendar functions have adjustment levers beneath the bezel. The winding indicator is coaxial with the four-year calendar dial, seconds coaxial with lunar phases. The large white enamel dial, signed on the back by Willis, the eminent English dial-maker of the period, is quadruple sunk with aperture, bearing signature and serial number repeated in the sunken seconds and in the chapter. Repeat and calendar mechanisms are fully concealed beneath the dial, with skeleton calendar plate removable, only connecting to the movement by single mesh of gearing at the motion work. Hands are in matching blued steel. Robert Benson North was credited in the Nicole Nielsen catalog of circa 1910 (reprinted in limited edition with helpful forward by David Penney) as being responsible for improvements in the tourbillion escapement, although this may refer to a later karrusel design. Vaudrey Mercer (author of the famous and invaluable trilogy, "John Arnold...," "E J Dent...," "The Frodshams" ) mentions that most of the English tourbillion watches produced by Nicole Nielsen were lever, and that those with detent escapement were considered the ultimate in quality. The under-dial mechanism (shown) shows a lovely skeleton arrangement with count wheel for the four-year month cycle. Meis, cited above in 1986 and in French translation in 1991, stressed the extreme rarity of tourbillions, putting global production of antique or vintage tourbillions of high quality at only 650, with English production at only about 100. He also states that with one notable exception, the English makers were the only ones to add significant complications to tourbillion watches. While new research or discovery may place tourbillion production numbers slightly higher, their rarity is a practical fact. The current watch is only two numbers apart from another fabulous complicated watch in the Dent sample inventory given by Mercer; that watch (#32274) was a minute-repeating grande and petite-sonnerie clockwatch, perpetual calendar, lever tourbillion and split-chronograph. Mercer does not include any spring detent tourbillions in his sample inventory, despite his comment cited above in "The Frodshams." The Dent family at the time of production was divided into two separate family businesses as it had been since the death of the original Edward John Dent, the current watch being produced by M F Dent (Marianna Frederica), named for the widow of Richard Edward Dent. The other business at the time was E Dent (Elizabeth) & Co; the two businesses merged again under the Dent name in 1920. See Mercer again for the complete story.  Condition report:  Mvt: GRO, good balance motion, good poise, excellent escapement function and near mint plates show hardly any MFS, a small dimple or speck, fine slots & settings, no oxide on bright work. Under dial the mechanism is mint, with only slight gumminess in the repeat action telling one it is time for fresh lubrication or OH. (Note however that respecting the time train, one never lubricates the chronometer jewels, only the bearings). The calendar functions are complete and perfect, currently set-up to lift and complete the date turnover a bit before midnight, but easily adjusted by a competent watchmaker to suit the needs of any prospective owner; the advancing functions are perfect, and to keep them that way avoid any adjustment from 6PM to 3 AM. Repeat function is fine now that we have re-set the hands, with fine tone and resonant case, the regulator wag typically a touch noisy. The dial has a solitary circular hairline crack at the dial center as shown in the photos, otherwise perfect; hands in near mint blue. The original massive gauge case shows very little if any wear, numerous MFS to FS from moving the heavy case on a table surface, no dents or dings; bow tight, crown shows very little wear; glass crystal with minor abrasion or wear. There is buffing wear only to the date letter on the front of the pendant. Estimate: $150,000 - $250,000
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