Important Collectors’ Wristwatches Po...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 22, 1995

LOT 410

Johann Koch, Cal en (Berlin), circa 1640. Rare and important silver alarm and calendar watch made in Côllen before it merged with Berlin.

CHF 22,000 - 24,000

USD 18,000 - 20,000

C. Massive, bassine, entirely pierced chased and engraved with a floral decoration. Elaborate hinge for the lid. D. Silver champlevé chapter ring with Roman numerals, inner silver revolving alarm setting dise with Arabic numerals, engraved with a floral decoration matching that of the case. External ring for the day of the month, operated manually. Blued steel single hand and pointer. M. Hinged gilt brass with urn pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, twoamn steel balance without spring, gilt brass irregular aval cock pierced and engraved with a free composition of flowers, secured by a screw. Worm and wheel set-up with silver rosette and blued steel brackets. Alarm train with gilt brass fixed barrel pierced and engraved with flowers, and cock of an elaborate design for the second wheel, striking on a bell. Signed on the back plate. In very good condition. Diam. 50 mm.


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Notes

The abmndance of tulips in the decoration reflects the sudden popularity acquired at the time by this flower all over Europe. Baillie in his list records Koch and this watch and so does Abeler. It should be pointed out however, that Côllen must not be confused, as usually happens, with the city of Kôl n (Cologne). It was instead a small town on the river Spree facing Berlin, which at the time was also quite small. They soon merged. The earliest watchmakers in the region settled in Côllen and Koch was among the first. In the 1660's he moved to Sweden, where he became Court Clockmaker. He died in Stockholm in 1679. The present watch is also interesting because it represents the local production before the arrival of the Huauds and the immigration of the Huguenots watchmakers alter the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, when Berlin became the Prussian capital. From the highly important Webster collection, sold at Christie's, London on 27 May 1954, lot 48.