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The Encyclopedia of Horology

London, United Kingdom · Dates not established

Morris Tobias

Partially verified

Maker of catalogued automaton and musical clock, eight-day marine chronometer, pair cased verge pocket watch

Life & work

Morris Tobias began his career as a watchmaker in London around 1794, establishing his workshop initially at Bell Dock Yard No. 68 in Wapping.

He later partnered with his nephew, Meyer Isaac Tobias, to establish the firm M. Tobias & Co., which operated from approximately 1800 until 1810. His professional activities continued until his death in 1846, at which time his final testament was published.

The fuller biography 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.

Training, contributions & innovations

  • Tobias invented a specialized clock patent featuring a dial that indicated time alongside the naval bell signal system known as 'Glasen'.

Documented works

  • Documented examples of his output include a silver verge pocket watch numbered 7367 and a marine chronometer numbered 1390 with a 56-hour power reserve.

Key models

Tobias Binnacle Clocks
These clocks tracked time in thirty-minute intervals to correspond with the use of sandglasses in maritime settings.

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.

Firms, key models & movements

No firm, model or movement in this encyclopedia is yet recorded under this maker's name.

In the object catalogue

5 catalogued objects are recorded under Morris Tobias. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.

Diagram

12345let downstripcleanoilregulateorder of work; never skip letting down the mainspring
Schematic: order of work at the bench. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Sources & references

  1. Tobias, Morris, Watch-Wiki, retrieved 2026-11-03
  2. Morris Tobias & Levitt, Watch-Wiki, retrieved 2026-11-03

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