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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Key-wind pocket watch

18k yellow gold pocket watch by M.J. Tobias, retailed by Benedict & Scudder

Partially verified

This 18k yellow gold pocket watch is a collaborative timepiece attributed to Liverpool-based watchmaker M.J. Tobias and the New York retailer Benedict & Scudder, dating to circa 1836. The watch features an 18k yellow gold case with engine-turned back, engraved round cartouche, and tooled foliate borders on the front, back, top, and bow. The movement is a thirteen-jewel, key-wind mechanism utilizing a detached lever escapement. The dial is complex in its decoration, displaying an engraved, paneled sunray background accented by tri-color foliate and flower borders and centers. Roman numerals indicate the hours, while a subsidiary dial at 6:00 features scalloped, guilloche patterning. The overall dimensions are two inches in diameter and 2.75 inches in length including the bow, with a total weight of 56.3 pennyweight. The watch is currently missing its crystal and keys.

View of the 18k yellow gold pocket watch showing the engraved sunray dial, tri-color gold decorations, and subsidiary seconds dial.
View of the 18k yellow gold pocket watch showing the engraved sunray dial, tri-color gold decorations, and subsidiary seconds dial. — Black Rock Galleries, via Invaluable. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Key-wind pocket watch
Maker / attribution
M.J. Tobias
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
c. 1836
Source-reported place
United Kingdom

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Exterior

The watch is housed in an 18k yellow gold case featuring decorative work throughout. The external surfaces include tooled foliate borders applied to the front, back, top, and the bow. An engine-turned finish is present on the back of the watch, which also features an engraved round cartouche located at the center.

The physical dimensions of the piece measure two inches in diameter, increasing to 2.75 inches when accounting for the bow. The total weight of the watch is reported as 56.3 pennyweight.

Evidence for this section
  • “18k yellow gold case features handsomely tooled foliate borders on the front, back, top, and bow, with an engine-turned back and an engraved round cartouche at the center.”
  • “The watch measures 2 inches in diameter and 2.75 inches long including the bow, with a gross weight of 56.3 dwt.”

Dial and Timekeeping

The dial displays intricate decoration consisting of an engraved, paneled sunray background. This surface is further embellished with a tri-color foliate and flower border and a corresponding center design, set against a dot inner border. Roman numerals denote the hour intervals.

A subsidiary dial is positioned at the 6:00 position, which is characterized by scalloped, guilloche patterning. The timekeeping mechanism inside is a thirteen-jewel, key-wind movement utilizing a detached lever.

Evidence for this section
  • “The dial is elaborately decorated with an engraved, paneled sunray background, overlaid with a tri-color foliate and flower border, a dot inner border, and a complementary tri-color foliate and flower center.”
  • “subsidiary dial with scalloped, guilloche patterning is positioned at 6:00.”
  • “The movement is a thirteen-jewel, key-wind mechanism featuring a detached lever.”

Provenance and Condition

The watch is identified as a collaborative piece between the Liverpool-based watchmaker M.J. Tobias and the New York retailer Benedict & Scudder. This configuration is noted by the source as belonging to a period when movements were imported and paired with domestic cases for taxation reasons.

Regarding the current state of the object, it is reported that both the crystal and the keys are missing from the watch.

Evidence for this section
  • “collaborative work between the Liverpool-based watchmaker M.J. Tobias and the New York retailer Benedict & Scudder.”
  • “Constructed during a period when imported watch movements were often married to domestically produced cases to reduce taxes”
  • “The item is missing its crystal and keys.”

Open research questions

  • Are there identifiable hallmarks inside the case that confirm the specific manufacturer of the gold case?
  • Does the movement contain any serial numbers or Tobias-specific markings that confirm its Liverpool origin?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for 18k yellow gold pocket watch by M.J. Tobias, retailed by Benedict & Scudder
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerM.J. Tobias“M.J. Tobias”
RetailerBenedict & Scudder“retailed by Benedict & Scudder”
Material18k yellow gold“18k yellow gold”
Movement13-jewel, key-wind, detached lever“thirteen-jewel, key-wind mechanism featuring a detached lever”
Dimensions2 inches diameter, 2.75 inches length“measures 2 inches in diameter and 2.75 inches long including the bow”
Weight56.3 dwt“gross weight of 56.3 dwt”
DialEngraved, paneled sunray with tri-color foliate motifs“engraved, paneled sunray background, overlaid with a tri-color foliate and flower border”

Visible details

  • Tri-color gold foliate application on the dial
  • Engraved sunray pattern across the dial surface
  • Tooled foliate decorations on the watch bow
  • Subsidiary seconds dial with guilloche pattern

Research qualifications

  • The crystal and keys are absent
  • The specific collaborative nature of the production remains subject to historical tax-related theories

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

18k yellow gold pocket watch by M.J. Tobias, retailed by Benedict & Scudder, c. 1836

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record b1a437a404

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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