J. Johnson Massey 3 counterfeit?

[jagrieff]

I recently picked up a fusee watch at our recent Regional and found that I had a bit of a mystery. With the exception of a broken minute hand and incorrect second hand, the watch is very complete and in excellent condition. When I tried to determine the age of the watch I was surprised to find that the hallmarks did not include any date letters. In addition, the hallmarks looked strange, almost cartoon like. Now I am just not sure what I have. I have never seen a Joseph Johnson movement signed in this way and yet I cannot find another J. Johnson listed in Liverpool from the period that Massey escapements were in use. The hallmarks are certainly strange and the lack of a date letter is suspicious. Is this a movement that was imported into America and then placed in a faux English case? The serial in the case matches the number of the movement so I assume the case is original. Any thoughts on what is going on here? I appreciate any help you can give me with this new purchase. Thanks in advance for your input.

Jeff Grieff

 

[John Matthews]

Jeff

The hallmarks are faux they do not correspond to genuine Chester hallmarks when the Leopard's head had a crown. The latest head had this form in 1823

The head shape existed in a similar form back to at least 1812.

Your movement is signed J Johnson and it is not the signature of Joseph Johnson. Other examples are known with the same signature and I am not aware that the signature has been assigned to a genuine Liverpool watch 'maker' or retailer. It is possible that it was simply used in order to allow the buyer believe it could be a Jos Johnson watch.

I have no doubt your movement is English made, exported from Liverpool and most probably cased in America. I am not certain that it was finished in Liverpool, although it was certainly finished in the Liverpool style.

I assume you have confirmed that the escapement is a Massey variant. Massey III? If not you need to do so. Without confirmation and any further information, I would not be surprised if it were a single roller from 1825 - 1835.

John

 

[jagrieff]

John,

Thank you for confirming my suspicions. The escapement is indeed a Massey 3. The bottom of the balance bridge is stamped with the letter B. Could this give any information as to who the manufacturer of this movement might be?

Jeff

 

[John Matthews]

Jeff

The mark on the underside of a cock foot has been inferred to refer to the escapement maker by some authorities; this seems to be reasonable in the case, for example, of early Massey variants that carry EMP xxx (Edward Massey Patent). I cannot recall seeing 'B' on a cock foot. It is known to me on the underside of caps, in the first decades of the C19th on Lancashire movements and later on Coventry examples. Ascribing an individual to a single letter is virtually impossible, unless there is an authentic contemporary reference. I am not aware of the existence of such.

So it may be the mark of the escapement maker or the frame maker, but I am afraid it is impossible to identify the individual who made the mark. Given that many unfinished movements were supplied, from both Lancashire and Coventry, with a cap already in place, it is not impossible that caps and frame components with 'B' have a common origin. Although I have no supporting evidence of such a relationship for 'B', early capped Coventry finished Massey movements are known with both 'D' on the underside of the cap and the cock foot (accompanied with the EMP mark previously described).

John

 

[jagrieff]

John,

Thanks for all of this information. By the way, the dust cap is unmarked so that doesn't provide any additional evidence. Thanks, as always, for your help with this little mystery.

Jeff