SUMMARY:
A near mint and very rare and very fine solid silver English, chain fusee Massey 2 crank-lever pocket watch made/finished in London in the early-19th century. The movement ticking away very strongly and keeps good time, and just cleaned and overhaul by my watch-maker.  The watch made by the maker Dorrington of London and most unusually fully jewelled through the train with large "Liverpool Windows" and with 17 jewels, so a rare hi-grade pocket watch capable of keeping very good time. You can also visit our Website at vintagewatchstore where there is a wide variety of fine antique & vintages watches.

THE MOVEMENT: 100% mint, with finely mercurial gilded full plate and engraved balance cock foot. The balance cock nicely engraved and with a substantial diamond end-stone. A shiny blued steel Bosley regulator, and endstone setting, blue steel screws. A rare uncut three arm 9k gold balance, with flat hairspring and jewelled to the balance staff. The watch a typical Massey crank lever with jewel held between two steel plates as shown below. The escapement in very good condition. The movement with lots of nice features such as an extended fusee ratchet spring, and Harrison's maintaining power and large Liverpool "Windows" jewels to the pallets, escape wheel and 3rd wheel and through the train to the fusee arbor. The watch typical of very high-grade watches of the period with 17 jewels.

On the movement top plate it is numbered, 91046 and signed by the maker, Dorrington of London. The watch most likely originated as an ebauche from Liverpool, which was finished and signed in London . The watch is key-wound,  and set through the back and comes with a key. The movement with original gilt dust cover/cuvette, which closes tight onto the movement. The movement overhaul in superb order showing very little wear and excellent gilding to the plates and dust cover.

Edward Massey (born in 1772) and settled in London  at 28 King Street, Clerkenwell. He invented the Massey lever escapement  and this was patented on November 6th 1814. He went on to develop and improve his escapement with the Massey No 1, 2, 3, and 5. The Massey lever was preferred to the Rack lever at this time and used extensively by the better quality Liverpool watch-makers.  There are also subtle variations, some with limited draw and also those with different profiles to the pallet shape. (See Britten, Bailey, Loomes etc  and most importantly the key document by Alan Treherne who classified these escapements into the series 1-5).