NEW BOY with JOHN FORREST needs help

[papadave]

I am trying to find the case maker of an antique watch for a friend
IT has a London hallmark for 1888 and makers mark T.C
the only maker I can find is TOM CAWTHAN but I think he was a 1
century earlier.The watch is by JOHN FORRESTwith the number ------
1439
and 39 stamped below the T.C MAKERS MARK
Any help would be appreciated. thanks to all in anticapation.

[MartyR]

Welcome to the board, Dave

What shape is the cameo of the maker's mark?

[papadave]

THANKS MARTY for your interest .
It would best be described as oblong with the corners off.
hope this makes sense to you.
THANKS AGAIN,

[MartyR]

Your casemaker is Thomas Cobb of Northampton Square, Clerkenwell, London who registered the mark in 1887 ... that's obviously assuming you have the hallmark date right!

I assume you know that John Forrest was a controversial watchmaker who claimed to be a "watchmaker to the Admiralty" but was in fact no such thing. What he did was occasionally to send one of his watches for free (and unasked for) to the Admiralty and then imply that they had ordered it!!! He was found guilty of fraud in the English courts. His reputation for quality in watches seems very patchy, and my own observation is that many of them were designed for show before function.

[papadave]

Thanks again Marty for your help and quick reply
keep up your good work.
best wishes.