Antique Tarts Triple-Case Verge Fusee Silver Pocket Watch. Calendar. London, Circa 1779

Antique fantastic silver triple-case verge fusee with pocket watch with calendar, made in London by the watchmaker John Tarts, circa 1889 for the Dutch market and in excellent conservation state and working order. The watch has three cases; the outer case is hinged and covered in fish skin (I think ray fish) with pique designs in the form of a navigational star, using the white metal pins from the underlying metal case. Enclosed is a sterling-silver repousse case with a mythological scene, surrounded by large C scrolls which also decorate the two-part barrel of this inner case. The inside of the back cover contains a Dutch watch paper advertising Ryn (Reiner) Van Vlymen, watchmaker of Amsterdam. The inner case of polished-sterling silver has English hallmarks on the inside of the back cover: The Leopard with a crown (London Assay office prior to 1822), the lion Guardant (Sterling silver) and the Date Letter mark of the lower case, d for 1779. There is a JC mark for the unidentified case maker. The watch mounts a silvered-champlevé dial with Roman hour chapter ring, gilt rosette half hour markers, arcaded minute track (in the Dutch manner) and Arabic markers in oval cartouche form, placed every five minutes along the periphery of the dial. There is an aperture over the six, gilt Beetle & Poker hands and the dial center engraved with the manufacturers name, TARTS, and with repousse silver cherub and grotesque facial mask as well as scroll-work.The watch has a gilt full plate, verge escapement, fusee movement with square tapered baluster pillars with rounded bases, open pierced foliate decorations attached to the rear plate edges, pierced Balance Bridge engraved with scrolling foliage in the style of curled acanthus leaves. The balance cock is attached with screws at two winged brass ends. There is a stepped foot the width of the bridge. The balance wheel has three arms. The rear plate is bears the engraved inscription TARTS, London 2318. J. Tarts (John) was probably a fictitious name and may actually have been J. Stratton (John), who worked in London as a watchmaker at the last third of the 18th century and trained his son James in 1791."Tarts" was a prolific maker of repoussé silver pair case watches in the Dutch style.This wonderful silver triple-case verge fusee with pocket watch with calendar, made for the Dutch market, will surely stand out in as part of a good collection. Dimensions: 57 mm.