circa 1765, outer case unmarked, the cover activated by push button, verso hinged at 9 o'clock, front bezel with repoussé foliate scrolls over a textured ground, verso decorated with a repoussé classical scene, possibly that of Bacchus and Ariadne, open faced pocket watch with unsigned white dial, 38mm diameter, black Roman numerals, gold coloured fretwork hands and chemin de fer chapter ring under a convex crystal, front loading gilt full plate movement, signed H. BETTERTON LONDON 12074, pierced and engraved winged balance cock with mascaron at the neck, verge escapement with chain fusée, silvered regulation and 4 pinned square baluster pillars, inner case, 41mm diameter with stirrup shaped pendant bow, verso polished and monogrammed with winding aperture, interior with remains of casemaker's mark, probably that of Daniel Aveline, and part mark for 22ct gold, no further marks, 87.7g gross and presented with the winding key

Little is known about the watchmaker. The reference in Britten's Old Clocks and Watches and Their Makers, 9th edition, lists an 'H. Betterton of London' and cites the source of a watch in the Guildhall Museum, London. Sadly, there appears to be no reference to a Betterton watch being there now.

The case is probably the work of Daniel Aveline (1723 - 1771), a Huguenot casemaker with workshops in Seven Dials, Covent Garden, London. He was apprenticed in the Clockmakers' Company to Stephen Goujon (see lot 290) in 1723 and became a Freeman in 1731.

The depiction on the outer case may be that of Bacchus and Ariadne. Richard Edgcumbe in The Art of the Gold Chaser shows a similar scene designed by Augustin Heckel dating from circa 1730. Although not identical, it shows a man departing and pointing to a ship in the background, with a woman looking on.

(With grateful thanks to Helen Chapman and her team at the Antiquarian Horological Society for their assistance in the cataloguing of this lot)

Condition Report

Case -

Outer case - opens and closes satisfactorily and the hinge does not appear strained. Some dents and dings to the case back and the rim is a little out of shape.

Inner case - Some dents, scuffs and dings together with creasing around the rim. Engraving clear and crisp.


Dial - A small chip to the enamel at the edge at 6 o'clock together with an extremely fine hairline crack running from there to the centre hole, visible with difficulty under reflected light.

Movement - In running order, though not tested for timekeeping or endurance.