Important, museum-quality gold/enamel repoussé pocket watch with half-quarter repeater, A. Benson London No.879, ca. 1740

Ca. Ø45.5mm, approx. 99g, gold pair case, protective case pierced, repoussé high relief with representation of a mythological, warlike scene, case maker's signature MD below the relief, small missing part in the rim area, inner case also pierced, enamel painting with very rare scene "Goddess Venus and putto on the back of a dolphin", case band with grimaces and mythical creatures, bell, signed and numbered silver dome, signed and numbered fine English verge movement, repeating the hours, quarters and half-quarters, enamelled dial, gold hands, intact, service recommended. This is one of the rarest repoussé pocket watches. The version with an enamelled main case is extremely rare among these pocket watches. The watch is mentioned in the Baillie of 1951 and another of these rarities was in the "Musée de l'Horlogerie et de l'Emaillerie de Geneve". Apart from these two examples, we are not aware of any others! Provenience: Collection Alexander Scharf Vienna, auction Heberle 1888.