Skip to content
The Encyclopedia of Horology

London and Liverpool, United Kingdom

M. I. Tobias and Company

Partially verified

Manufacturing and exporting watches

History

The firm was founded by Meyer Isaacs Tobias, who was born to Isaac Isaacs and a sister of the watchmaker Morris Tobias and later adopted by his uncle.

Over time, the enterprise operated under various titles including M. & J. Tobias & Co. and M. I. Tobias & Co. The company became a highly successful exporter of watches, focusing particularly on the American market until it was eventually overtaken by domestic American manufacturers.

The extended history summarises the open references listed under Sources; each statement was checked against the cited passage. Confirm key dates in period documents before relying on them.

Known markings

  • The firm utilized several variations of the Tobias name on their timepieces, including M.J. Tobias & Co. and M.I. Tobias & Co.

Serial numbers

No serial-number system for this maker is recorded in the cited references.

Collecting significance

The catalogued pieces listed on this page show the kinds of objects auction houses, dealers and museums attribute to this maker; each attribution is the source's own.

In the object catalogue

8 catalogued objects are recorded under M. I. Tobias and Company. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.

  • Front view showing dial, hands, engraved scene, and winding key
  • Front view of the 18-karat gold pair-cased pocket watch by Tobias, showing the enamel dial with 15-second subsidiary seconds.
  • A pocket watch with a white Roman numeral dial and an attached green ribbon, catalogued as GM:20002.
  • Front view of the 18-karat gold M. I. Tobias & Co pocket watch, showing the engine-turned dial with three-color gold floral decoration and blued steel hands.
  • Front view of the silver open face pocket watch showing the white porcelain dial, subsidiary seconds, and the included winding key.
  • Movement view of an 18ct gold open-face pocket watch showing the three-quarter plate, fusee, and duplex escapement.

Sources & references

  1. . inst. On the Memorial of Messrs, M & J. Tobias & Co. Will give directions that their Lordships Warrant of the 6, NAWCC message board, retrieved 2026-11-03 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.