18th Century Tortoiseshell Verge Pocket Watch by Sam Stephens, London

Tortoiseshell pair case verge pocket watch, late 18th century,…
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tortoiseshell pair case verge pocket watch, late 18th century, signed Sam Stephens, London, #137, with white enamel dial and Roman numeral hour markers, plus outer Arabic minutes chapter dial, the inner case back stamped 'Tg', set within a tortoiseshell outer case with gold plated framework, opening via a gold circular push button clasp, stamped 'Tg' to interior, outer case diameter 5 cm published: "How the watch was worn, a fashion for 500 Years', by Genevieve Cummins.

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  • Tortoiseshell - Tortoiseshell is a translucent material that comes from the horny carapace of a certain types of turtles, including the hawksbill turtle. It is often therefore mounted on a colour underground - often red - or inlaid with gold or silver thread, as seen in Boulle furniture.

    The texture and colour nuances of the material are extremely important. Heated tortoiseshell can easily be formed into various shapes. Like other natural materials, tortoiseshell becomes more beautiful with use. In a time before plastic, tortoiseshell was widely used for small objects such as combs and powder compacts.

    In 1973, the trade of tortoiseshell worldwide was banned under CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). Prior to importing or exporting items containing tortoiseshell a CITES permit must be obtained. Tortoiseshell items cannot be traded on Ebay.

    "Faux tortoiseshell", another case of man initiating nature, is made from old-style plastics such as celluloid and cellulos and is coloured with red, yellow and brown spots to imitate the genuine article. It is commonly used in glasses frames, musical instruments and costume jewellery.

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