Thomas Mercer (1822-1900)
Biography of watchmaker Thomas Mercer (1822-1900)
Thomas Mercer (1822-1900) moved to London from Lancashire where he had worked with the famed chronometer maker Thomas Russell.
Finding work hard to come by, Mercer was ready to emigrate to America. He had bought a one-way ticket, until he noticed a fine chronometer in the shop window of John Fletcher. Mercer entered the shop and was immediately given a position as a watch springer and finisher.
Thomas Mercer established his own business in 1858 at New North Road, London before moving in 1874 to St Albans where he set up a factory behind his house in Prospect Road.
In September 1900, Thomas Mercer was appointed as judge for the horological class at the Universal Exhibition held in Paris. Unfortunately, he caught a cold on the ferry crossing over and died at the Hôtel Internationale, Paris, whereupon his son Frank took over the running of the business, T&F Mercer. The company closed in 1984.
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Thomas Mercer (1822-1900)
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Thomas Mercer a survey chronometer No 18681 the two-day duration movement with a visible escapement, the silvered twenty-four hour dial engraved with a subsidiary seconds dial, a 56 hour up-and-down dial and engraved Thomas Mercer Ltd, St Albans, England, 18681, with blued steel spade hands, contained in a plated drum with a stop/start lever to the side, 1 Sec electrical contacts and with a plate engraved RT9.368, the whole then sat in a steel bound box with a leather strap and separate compartment for the original paperwork including a rating certificate dated for 1971 and the original guarantee and rate certificate dated from the original sale in July 1950 and bearing the Octo trademark.
Estimate: £300 - £500
Realised: £450
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