Can anyone give me any information about this watch? The only distinct marking is on the back. It seems to read: Souvenir of Mormon
Far More.

Here is a closeup.

I was told it was either swiss or french cariage clock from the late 19th century.

The movement actually looks pretty simple.

It has a serial number, and some indistinct crude scratching on the inside of the case.

Inside the case...

Does anyone have any ideas for me?

Steve, I can't offer any suggestions about the inscription, but it's a Continental Fusee Verge.

Probably Swiss, but I've seen French Verge's with the end plate on the balance cock, so I'll leave it to the Verge experts to cast an eye over that.
Appears to have a 'Tompion' regulator disc too, which is probably solid silver.

You also appear to have the inner cased part of a Pair Case watch, the pendant is very tall so that it would protrude through an extra case.

Looks like it may have lost the minute hand - is that a square at the centre?
A very unusual dial, having the hours on a small inner scale like that!

Great watch, thanks for posting the photo's for us.

John

Actually, rather than the hours on the inner dial, I think that is the days of the month, numbering 1-31. I believe it is missing both the minute and hour hands. Thanks for the information, John. Now that I look at it, I think it must have had another outer case. Maybe it was scrapped for the price of the metal.

Steve

Steve, you're absolutely correct, it is a calendar dial on the inner scale, don't know how I missed that - gotta get some sleep I think

There's a good chance it could have had blacked steel 'Beetle and Poker' style hands on it, as it looks to be quite an early watch.

The outer cases on many pair case watches took a heck of a lot of punishment and simply wore out and fell apart.
If you keep an eye on these on eBay, you'll find many examples with great holes in the outer cases.
Good examples with minimal wear fetch premium money now.

I don't think the case would have been scrapped, otherwise the movement would have been an orphan too.
Silver cases generally seem to have survived in greater numbers fortunately, maybe because of the lower scrap values.
Most orphan movements would generally have been in Solid Gold cases, which even today are being melted down for the same reasons - some sellers even admitting as much!

John

That is a shame. I've bought a few high grade movements on eBay that are really hard to find cases for.
Thanks once again, John!

Steve

I've bought plenty of excellent movments that way too Steve.
I suppose on the plus side for me, they'd have been unaffordable had they been cased up, and my own knowledge of those watches would have been less.

I've actually just bought an English Lever Fusee movement, that was made in the village where my Mother was raised and schooled, and my Grandfather was a Lay preacher.
The maker is also believed to be related somehow to my Grandparents - especially as the midwife who delivered my Mother was born in that village and has the same surname as the watchmaker - a local family who also ran the Post Office and jewellers store!
The watch would almost certainly have been in a Gold case, but if it had been cased still, I couldn't have afforded it - so definitely a plus there for me .

John

What amazing oportunities the internet has opened up. It opens up all kinds of possible places to find stuff, and spend money!

Steve,
I am no expert at these, but I often look at them, and I would guess that it's a LOT earlier than the quoted 19th Century.

Those letters may indeed give you a makers name, if you go to some of the web sites that carry old english silver marks. (they often include makers marks from other countries) I can't really make them out. There is a ton of information on makers marks online.

If you can post the lettering from the case, I may be able to find it. Is it just A L?

Hi Sheila. Thanks for writing in. I think the letters are ALI.

Steve G.

Steve, I found Old Sheffield plate character marks that may be close -

http://www.silvercollection.it...ffieldhallmarks.html

The first mark on your case looks like a flower w/leaves. The last mark looks like a circle with a staff or cross on top. Both are shown on this page. I have no idea if Sheffield plate was used for cases or not.

I also found this page with Hanau (Germany) that has a flower mark -

http://www.silvercollection.it...ilverhallmarks4.html

Thanks a lot for the help. I've been puzzling over this for years!