This article investigates the provenance of a Breguet pocket watch, No. 2226, sold in Paris in 1853 to a buyer identified only as "Capitaine Denny." The watch, a gold hunter-case model with an enamel dial and small seconds, has resurfaced in New Zealand, but its journey from France remains a mystery. The investigation explores potential identities for Captain Denny, linking the watch's crest to the military Denny family and the historical context of the Northern War in New Zealand.
- Sold in 1853 for 700 francs
- Gold hunter-case pocket watch
- 47mm 18K yellow gold case
- Enamel dial with Roman numerals
- Small seconds at 6 o'clock
- Lever escapement and compensated balance
- Includes original winding key
The watch is described as a practical gentleman's watch with a restrained design, lacking complications beyond small seconds.
An engraved crest on the cuvette depicts an arm holding ears of wheat with the motto 'and mine shall be the harvest,' which was found on a snuff mull belonging to Captain Richard Denny, who served in the Northern War in New Zealand.
While Captain Richard Denny used the crest, he died in 1850, three years before the watch was sold, ruling him out as the buyer.
Anthony Cuthbert Collingwood Denny, a naval lieutenant, is a potential candidate due to his family using the same crest and his potential presence in Versailles in the mid-1850s, though evidence does not place him in Paris in 1853 or confirm his rank as captai
The 700 franc purchase price in 1853 represented approximately seven months of wages for a skilled Parisian tradesman, indicating a significant expenditure.
The watch has not returned to Breguet for servicing since its original sale, leaving its history largely undocumented.