AN ENGLISH PAIR-CASED POCKET WATCH ENGRAVED WITH LORD BYRON'S CREST ON THE OUTER CASE MADE BY GEORGE PRIOR FOR THE OTTOMAN MARKET England, c. 1809 Movement: Signed, Verge movement with ornate crested tulip, No.35285 Dial: Signed, white enamel, black Ottoman numerals, black outer minute division, gilt hands Travel case: Brass (formerly silvered) with stand away-hinge, the front engraved with a coat of arms with another on an escutcheon of pretence between supporters of two horses rampant, surmounted by a Baron’s coronet and the crest of a doe statant, charged with a three annulets, all above the motto Crede Biron. Size: 82.4mm Outermost case: Tortoiseshell case with stand-away hinge and push button release, the case with piqué clous decoration, mounted in white metal bands with bright cut engraved decoration. Size: 72.23mm Outer case: George III sterling silver, London 1806 by Thomas & Richard Carpenter. Size: 59mm Inner case: George III sterling silver, London 1809 by James Richards. Size: 49.6mm In the 19th century, England enjoyed a flourishing export trade with the Ottoman Empire, which at the time included the Western Provinces of Albania, Greece and the Balkans. Pocket watches similar to this would have been popular in those regions among mid and high society. Two analogous watches are now part of the Islamic Art Albukhary Gallery at the British Museum in London (nos. 18 and 19).