This is truly a vintage timepiece that was once owned by a well-known writer that many American students develop a love-hate relationship with. The watch was made by William Bunting and presented to John Milton in 1631. Milton was only 23. It would be 36 years later that he wrote his epic poem Paradise Lost.
Makers marks and the inscription helped to authenticate this history. The watch disappeared until 1819 when it was included in a Baltimore, MD estate. Shortly thereafter it traveled back to England. It now resides in the British Museum.
I’ve shared this vintage timepiece with you, not because of the famous person who once owned it but because I think it’s a great pocket watch drawing. The level of detail on the piece is amazing. It’s also a great circular image that could be used in whole or taken apart into the different design elements. I know the one side of the outer bands is a bit poorly scanned but I have little doubt that you could cut, paste and rotate some of the design from the other side if you wanted to remove the shadows.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.