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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Silver pocket watch

Hopkins & Hopkins Silver Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This silver pocket watch is attributed to the Dublin retailer Hopkins and Hopkins. It was purchased around 1916 by Florence J. Burke, a racehorse owner from Kildare. The retailer was situated at 1 O’Connell Street Lower, Dublin, at the corner of Eden Quay. The establishment was historically significant for its involvement during the 1916 Easter Rising, when members of the Kimmage Garrison occupied the premises. The watch features a white enamel dial with black Roman numerals and a subsidiary seconds dial located at the six o'clock position. The dial bears the signature "HOPKINS & HOPKINS" and "DUBLIN" in black text, with "SWISS" and "MADE" flanking the lower seconds register. While the museum record refers to it as a 'Waltham' watch, the dial is clearly signed "SWISS MADE," indicating the movement or components originate from Swiss production rather than American manufacture.

Front view of the silver pocket watch showing the Hopkins & Hopkins Dublin dial.
Front view of the silver pocket watch showing the Hopkins & Hopkins Dublin dial. — Digital Repository of Ireland via Europeana. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Silver pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Waltham (retailed by Hopkins and Hopkins)
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
/139/_vx02dv70x
Source-reported date
circa 1916
Source-reported place
Ireland

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

Provenance and Historical Association

The pocket watch is documented by the Digital Repository of Ireland as having been acquired circa 1916 by Florence J. Burke, a resident of Kildare.

The firm’s physical premises at 1 O’Connell Street Lower in Dublin became a site of historical activity during the 1916 Easter Rising. The building was occupied by the Kimmage Garrison, a volunteer unit, and was subsequently damaged by naval shelling, which destroyed much of the structure by the end of April 1916.

Evidence for this section
  • “purchased c. 1916 by Florence J. Burke (1878 – 1972), a racehorse owner from Kildare town in Hopkins and Hopkins”
  • “premises were occupied by members of the Kimmage Garrison during the Easter Rising”
  • “only the roofline scars of Hopkins and Hopkins’ building remained following shelling of the area”

Dial and Retailer Branding

The dial is constructed of white enamel with black Roman numeral indices. The retailer's identity is prominently displayed on the upper half of the dial, reading "HOPKINS & HOPKINS" followed by "DUBLIN" on the line below.

The dial includes specific origin markings at the base. Flanking the subsidiary seconds register, the words "SWISS" and "MADE" are printed, which contrasts with the internal museum documentation that categorizes the object as a 'Waltham' watch. The discrepancy suggests the watch may have been retailed by Hopkins and Hopkins using Swiss-manufactured movements, rather than American ones.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gents’ silver ‘Waltham’ pocket watch”

Physical Characteristics

The watch is housed in a silver case, as described by the holding institution. The design is that of a standard gentleman's pocket watch featuring a pendant-mounted crown at the twelve o'clock position, intended for winding and time adjustment.

The visual evidence confirms the presence of spade-style hands. No internal views or movement details are currently provided in the available records.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gents’ silver ‘Waltham’ pocket watch”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific Swiss movement manufacturer behind this retailer-signed watch?
  • Do the case hallmarks provide evidence of the watch's date or origin that clarifies the 'Waltham' description vs 'Swiss Made' dial?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Hopkins & Hopkins Silver Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
RetailerHopkins and Hopkins“Hopkins and Hopkins, jewellers, silversmiths, and watchmakers, 1 O’Connell [formerly Sackville] Street Lower, Dublin.”
Associated OwnerFlorence J. Burke“purchased c. 1916 by Florence J. Burke (1878 – 1972), a racehorse owner from Kildare town”
AssociationEaster Rising 1916“premises were occupied by members of the Kimmage Garrison during the Easter Rising”
Museum Record ID/139/_vx02dv70x“Europeana record /139/_vx02dv70x”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial with Roman numerals
  • Subsidiary seconds dial at the six o'clock position
  • Crown-wound mechanism visible at the top
  • Retailer signature printed on the dial

Research qualifications

  • Conflict between museum description citing 'Waltham' and dial marking 'Swiss Made'
  • Specific movement caliber and internal case markings are undocumented

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

Consulted source

Pocket watch Hopkins & Hopkins, Hopkins and Hopkins

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 38341e5187

Terms in this record

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

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