Thomas Reid, Edinburgh. An interesting, rare and large silver key wind pair case pocket watch
Date: London Hallmark for 1804
Movement: Gilt full plate duplex with ruby roller, finely engraved balance cock, 4-arm steel balance with 4 quarter screws, diamond end stone, lever protruding through bezel at 8 operates via a steel arbor a long brass whip mounted on the back plate for start/stop function, round baluster pillars, No.1029
Dial: White, black Roman numerals, black outer minute track with 10 minute markers, subsidiary seconds at 6, gold spade hands
Case: Polished inner and outer cases, D shaped bow
Signed: Movement
Size: 68mm
Footnotes:
This is a particularly interesting timepiece featuring a ruby roller. By using a ruby, less friction is produced and is unusual in both its inclusion in the movement and also for the fact that it has survived.

Thomas Reid is recorded as working in Edinburgh from 1781 when he succeeded his cousin James Cowan. In 1806 he partnered with William Auld as Reid & Auld making the current lot, hallmarked for 1804, one of his later pieces produced independently before the merger of the two makers.

Provenance:
Purchased from Grainger December 1962
T P Camerer Cuss Collection

Illustrated:
The Country Life Book of Watches, T P Camerer Cuss, Country Life, 1967, plate 85
The Camerer Cuss Book of Antiques Watches, T P & T A Camerer Cuss, AC C 1976, plate 99