{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78444"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78444/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU3230/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU3230/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AU3230","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O78444/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78444","accessionNumber":"M.14:1 to 4-1992","objectType":"Watch and chatelaine","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>During the 18th century, a fashionable woman wore from her belt a 'chatelaine', or, as it was then known, a 'chain' or 'equipage'.  From the chatelaine might hang a range of different objects: a watch, seals, a box for a thimble, or an 'étui' containing sewing, writing or cosmetic implements.<br><br><b>People</b><br>William Hunt was apprenticed in 1709, and entered his mark at Goldsmiths' Hall, London, in 1725.  He appears to have specialised in gold chatelaines and other small objects in gold, such as cane heads and boxes.  Examples of these are shown in a magnificent Rococo trade card advertising the wares sold by William Hunt & Son in the 1750s.  His son, James, was apprenticed to him in 1742, and registered his own mark in 1760.  James also made chatelaines, and he supplied gold Freedom Boxes to the City of London <br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>On gold watchcases made in London, chased figure scenes were one of the most fashionable forms of decoration from about 1720 to 1770.  At first the scenes were set inside symmetrical frames of scrolls, but under the influence of the High Rococo these frames often became asymmetric in the late 1730s.","physicalDescription":"Gold watchcases; gold chatelaine with a gilded metal hook. The egg-shaped container of bloodstone, the seal of rock crystal (around 1810-1820), engraved with a female head. The watch a later replacement, the top plate on the verge escapement engraved 'NT Adams 1873 / London'.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gold and gilt metal, embossed, cast and chased; bloodstone egg, with enamelled mounts; rock crystal seal","categories":[{"text":"Clocks & Watches","id":"THES48976"},{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AU3230"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"53A (VA)","id":"THES49763"},"free":"","case":"CA5","shelf":"","box":"45"},{"current":{"text":"53A (VA)","id":"THES49763"},"free":"","case":"CA5","shelf":"","box":"45"},{"current":{"text":"53A (VA)","id":"THES49763"},"free":"","case":"CA5","shelf":"","box":"45"},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES407897"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Watch","id":""}],[{"text":"Watchcase","id":""}],[{"text":"Chatelaine","id":""}],[{"text":"Case","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Mrs K. E. Longman","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"18.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"including watch","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"watchcase","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Painted in gold around the rim of the lid of the egg: 'A SMILE FROM THEE : IS A WORLD TO ME ::'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Watch movement made in London by Nathaniel Adams, London, no. 1873; casemaker's mark 'EC'; chatelaine by 'WH', probably  William Hunt (active in London about 1725-1760)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Cummins Genevieve, and Nerylla Taunton. <u>Chatelaines. Utility to Glorious Extravagance</u>. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Antique Collectors' Club, 1994."}],"production":"Watch hallmarked for 1742-1743; seal 1810-1820","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nMany English watch cases made after 1735 were decorated with pictorial scenes framed within asymmetrical C-scrolled borders. The subjects were often taken from Classical mythology, like Zephyr and Flora shown here.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["M.14:1-1992","M.14:2-1992","M.14:3-1992","M.14:4-1992"],"accessionNumberNum":"14","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1992,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Watch","Watchcase","Chatelaine","Case"],"assets":["2019LM5239","2019LP9210","2019LP2584","2019LR4617","2019LV6209","2019LV5335"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-18","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}