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Charles Taylor pocket watch

J
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I have inherited a pocket watch marked 'Chas Taylor LONDON 984' and very faintly inside the lid 'AGS 22 or'. Various stamps are present as shown in the pic.

Is it possible to find information about the watch based on that? I take it 984 is a serial number.

Best regards to all learned coves who might be able to answer...highly appreciated.

Johan Gärdin, Stockholm

Fickur_Charles_Taylor_2.jpg Fickur_Charles_Taylor_3.jpg Fickur_Charles_Taylor_4.jpg
 
Waltesefalcon
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Howdy, and welcome to the OF. The serial number isn't likely to get you anywhere with an old watch like this. The silver hallmarks, on the other hand, can be deciphered and give you a time and place that the case was made. Use this link and look for your marks. We also have a rather good pocket watch thread under the "open discussion" sub forum.

https://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html
 
J
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
Howdy, and welcome to the OF. The serial number isn't likely to get you anywhere with an old watch like this. The silver hallmarks, on the other hand, can be deciphered and give you a time and place that the case was made. Use this link and look for your marks. We also have a rather good pocket watch thread under the "open discussion" sub forum.

https://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html
Thank you very much for the lead. On one hand it seems to be a very old watch, if I have interpreted correctly the case was made in 1793 and both case and movement bear the same s/n, on the other the face is quite damaged and key as well as hands are missing. I have no idea about provenance, beyond my grandfather b. 1890. How and when it came to Sweden is a mystery.
 
Waltesefalcon
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1793 sounds about right. It has the bust of George on it and the old style crowned leopard.

Were there any sailors, possibly a ships master, in your family? The British made the best watches in the world back then.

If you could provide more photos that would be helpful. Plus we really like pictures.

@Bernhard J what do you think?
 
J
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
1793 sounds about right. It has the bust of George on it and the old style crowned leopard.

Were there any sailors, possibly a ships master, in your family? The British made the best watches in the world back then.

If you could provide more photos that would be helpful. Plus we really like pictures.

@Bernhard J what do you think?
Thanks for reply. The stamps are fairly easy to read, except the date one which has a delicate outline. Both the inner and outer case are stamped and the innn

Nobody, except me, from that side of my family was ever at sea, they were pretty much tied to the turf as you might say; farmers, millers...However, since my grandfather had a small collection of five watches it might be that he, or somebody he inherited from, bought them used from a dealer or pawnshop. I attach some more pics.

Fickur_Charles_Taylor_5.jpg Fickur_Charles_Taylor_6.jpg
 
Waltesefalcon
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The pair case is in excellent condition, with the exception of the hinge. Are all of the watches from your grandfather pocket watches? If so, I think everyone would appreciate seeing them over on the "calling all pocket watch buffs" thread in the "Open Discussion" subforum.
 
Bernhard J
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
@Bernhard J what do you think?
I agree with 1793 (easily confused with 1813, but in this case it seems clearly 1793).

The case number and the movement number are the same, so the case is original to the movement (no "recase"). The escapement will very likely be a verge.

The sponsors mark "IH" must remain a riddle for the time being. There were various makers using this mark, but if case maker, these are too late for the hall mark. There is a number of documented "IH" marks for earlier makers, but these are not known for making watch cases.

The signature "Charles Taylor" does not seem to be clear as well, it might be that it was not the maker, but a retailer, who let the signature be applied to the movement (fairly common practice).

The damage to the dial is a pitty.

Best, Bernhard
Edited:
 
J
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Bernhard J Bernhard J
I agree with 1793 (easily confused with 1813, but in this case it seems clearly 1793).

The case number and the movement number are the same, so the case is original to the movement (no "recase"). The escapement will very likely be a verge.

The sponsors mark "IH" must remain a riddle for the time being. There were various makers using this mark, but if case maker, these are too late for the hall mark. There is a number of documented "IH" marks for earlier makers, but these are not known for making watch cases.

The signature "Charles Taylor" does not seem to be clear as well, it might be that it was not the maker, but a retailer, who let the signature be applied to the movement (fairly common practice).

The damage to the dial is a pitty.

Best, Bernhard
Thanks for your comments - very valuable.
I was also unsure of the 'IH' mark, as the ones I found in the London makers' chart both had a dot between the letters. The signature reads 'Chas Taylor' where the 's' is a superscript. This is congruent with common usage, like writing 'Jno' for 'Jon'. Is 'Charles' normally spelled out in other specimens?

Brgds,
Johan Gärdin
 
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