Skip to content
The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

M. I. Tobias and Company Gold Watch

Partially verified

This gold pocket watch is held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art under accession number 62.146a, b. Produced by the firm M. I. Tobias and Company, the object is dated to the period between 1810 and 1829. Attributed to British manufacture, specifically noted by the source as originating from Merseyside, Liverpool, England, the watch measures approximately 2 1/4 inches by 2 1/4 inches, with a depth of 5/8 inch (5.7 x 5.7 x 1.6 cm). The watch entered the museum's American Wing as a gift from Lucy Moses in 1962. The exterior of the case is decorated with intricate floral relief motifs and a central oval medallion featuring a profile portrait of a male figure. The construction relies on gold as the primary material. As a museum-held piece, its provenance is linked to the institution's formal archives and documentation records.

The gold case of the watch, showing a decorative floral relief border and a central portrait medallion.
The gold case of the watch, showing a decorative floral relief border and a central portrait medallion. — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Pocket watch
Maker / attribution
M. I. Tobias and Company
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
62.146a, b
Source-reported date
1810–29
Source-reported place
British

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 Construction and Design

The watch is housed in a gold case measuring 5.7 centimeters in diameter. The exterior surface is extensively decorated with relief work consisting of dense floral and foliate scrolls. The composition is organized around a central circular field containing an oval frame.

Within this central frame is a portrait of an unidentified male figure depicted in profile.

Evidence for this section
  • “2 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 5/8 in. (5.7 x 5.7 x 1.6 cm)”
  • “Made in Merseyside, Liverpool, England”

Maker and Provenance

The object is attributed to the firm M. I. Tobias and Company, active between 1810 and 1829. The piece was acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art for its American Wing department in 1962.

The acquisition was facilitated through the gift of Lucy Moses. The museum maintains the object under the accession number 62.146a, b, which covers both the watch and its associated components as documented in the institution's collection records.

Evidence for this section
  • “Watch made by M. I. Tobias and Company (1810–29)”
  • “The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this object as 62.146a, b.”
  • “Gift of Lucy Moses, 1962.”

Geographic and Temporal Attribution

The source identifies the watch as British in origin, with more specific attribution to Merseyside, Liverpool. This geographic designation corresponds with the operational period of M. I. Tobias and Company, which the source dates to 1810 through 1829.

The documentation provided by the museum serves as the primary basis for these historical and locational claims regarding the watch.

Evidence for this section
  • “British”
  • “Made in Merseyside, Liverpool, England”
  • “1810–29”

Open research questions

  • Does the movement contain a serial number that would allow for more precise dating within the 1810-1829 window?
  • What are the specific hallmarking details on the interior of the case back?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for M. I. Tobias and Company Gold Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerM. I. Tobias and Company“Watch made by M. I. Tobias and Company (1810–29)”
Date1810–29“1810–29”
CountryBritish“British”
Dimensions2 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 5/8 in. (5.7 x 5.7 x 1.6 cm)“2 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 5/8 in. (5.7 x 5.7 x 1.6 cm)”
Museum ID62.146a, b“The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this object as 62.146a, b.”
Credit LineGift of Lucy Moses, 1962“Gift of Lucy Moses, 1962.”

Visible details

  • Case features high-relief floral ornamentation
  • Central oval medallion depicts a male portrait in profile
  • The case appears to be of gold construction
  • Circular geometry consistent with standard pocket watch form

Research qualifications

  • The exact provenance of the portrait subject is not provided in the source
  • The internal mechanism and condition of the movement are not visible or described in the provided data

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

Consulted source

Watch by M. I. Tobias and Company, British, 1810–29

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 8cf2eeba43

Terms in this record

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

Other pocket watch records