Hello,

This fine 1780's 18k gold verge fusee 1/4 hour repeater came into my hands a few weeks ago to have a new high dome bullseye crystal fitted. It's always enjoyable to see such a magnificent timepiece in person! The engraving on the back of the heavy 18k inner case is what mystifies me as I've never seen anything like it; It reads as follows: "Margaret Lincoln 1787, to Mary Ann Belinda O'Keefe, to Eliza Parsons White, to Mary White Poe, to Robert F. Bixby, to Robert C. Mankowski.

I am just interested to find out why this watch was dedicated to so many people...it's usually just one person... and who these people were. Can any of our great horological archivists help?

The watch was made in London and is a plunger type chain driven 1/4 hour repeater which strikes on a beautifully clear sounding bell. The hand piercing and engraving are amazing and this watch has definitely been "saved from the scrapper".

This pair cased watch is the property of Solvang Antique Center and I believe it will appear on their web site shortly as part of their inventory.

Here are some quick photographs.

William

Inner case back engraving

Side of case piercing/engraving

Bottom of case

Shown with HEAVY 18k outer case

Hey William, I of course don't know who those people are,but all the engravings are different,and it is quite possible that it was handed down from one generation to the next,and engraved with the new owner's name each time. The history of this watch would be interesting indeed.

I have managed to find this snippet Here

JOURNAL OF EARLY
SOUTHERN DECORATIVE ARTS

WINTER 2002 VOLUME XXVIII, NUMBER 2

FIGURE 28. Minia-
ture portrait of Mrs.
William White {Mary
Ann Belinda O'Keefe)
by Joseph-Pierre Picot
de Limoelan de
Cloriviere (b. 1768-
d. 1826). Watercolor
on ivory. Courtesy of the
Gibbes Museum of Art/
Carolina Art Association,
Charleston, South Car-
olina, ace. ^•i. 10.01,
bequest of Mrs. W. E.
Smnns.


"According to notes in the files at the Carolina
Art Association, Mary Ann O'Keefe (Mrs. William White) was bom in Ireland prior to her
father's emigration from Belfast in 1788. The oldest of five children to survive her father. Mary
Ann served as his executor when he died in 1792.

This would tend to support the date for a London watch passed on from Margaret Lincoln perhaps as a leaving gift ? and the subsequent appearance of 2 "White's" in the name list as it passed to children/grandchildren.

How's that for a start? and the lady herself....

Now THAT is some seriously fantastic history!!!

and a photo to die for!

That is research at it's best!


Outstanding watch too, just green with envy over this entire post!!!!

Gareth,

quote:

How's that for a start?

That's quite a strong start! I really appreciate it!

William

I just did a Google book search an found that a Robert F. Bixby married a Mary W. Poe in 1849. Mary W. Poe was also a cousin of the poet Edgar Allan Poe. Does any of this add up?

William

William, sorry I must be getting senile, I just noticed you too are William White, with the penchant for carrying on names through families had you considered tracing back your own family to see if there is a link to the William White that married Mary O'Keefe ? probably a 1000000:1 shot but stranger things have happened.

Robert F Bixby died in 1900 a bachelor, his sister, Grace S Bixby was married to Count Casimir I Mankowski

This from a New York Times article

Robert C. Mankowski, Son of Aged Insane Countess (Grace Sterling Mankowski) this in a further NY Times article. More about the same article from NY Tribune August 9, 1922

It would appear that Roberts brother ( Casimir Sterling Mankowski) won the American Power Boat Assoc. Gold Cup in 1913. A family with serious money in it's heyday.

If only we could get a line on Margaret Lincoln the story would be complete

The loveley Mrs. White had one blue eye and one brown eye. I wonder if this odd trait was passed down?