The significance of this watch and the history of early minute-repeating mechanisms is eloquently covered in an article of sonie twelve pages by Sebastian Whitestone published in Antiquarian Horology, winter 1993, pages 145-157. A photocopy will be made available with the lot. The article is very detailed and but a few points can be covered in a catalogue note. Whitestone points out that due to a misinterpretation of Thiout Traité of 1741 and subsequent writings, it has long been considered that Thomas Mudge produced the first minuterepeating watch in about 1750. In fact two other minute-repeating watches made before 1750 are known, but the present example is certainly the earliest survivor and notably well presented. The article further describes the importance of Friedberg as watchmaking centre, a fact that has been all but overlooked by writers on horology. This is understandable in view of the number of watches made in the town but actually signed with the names of well known makers from London (particularly) and other apparently more famous watchmaking centres. Although it is quite possible that certain makers ordered watches to be signed with their names, as a general rule, the guilds were very strict about "false" signature, and it seems likely that many of the Friedberg makers were content to swop fame in their own right for profits. English signatures and towns were of advantage when selling into foreign markets due to the perceived superiority of English watchmaking at the time. A hundred years later the name of Breguet was to be applied liberally to watches made in Switzerland and Austria, although in his case many of the so-called copies were of notably low quality. Subsequent to Whitestone's article a re-examination of numerous watches thought to be English, particularly watches with fancy dial work, has proved that the makers of Friedberg were capable of great ingenuity and of high quality work. Lot 409 in this sale is also an interesting example of craftmanship from the town. Finally the signature on the watch - Marqüch - apparently unrecorded, is elegantly and almost certainly correctly explained by Sebastian Whitestone. Benedict Fürstenfelder (died 1754) of Aichach ( Eickstadt) and Friedberg seems the most likely maker of the watch in view of his known ability. The name - Marqüch - has been signed on the back-plate in such a way as to be clearly altered contemporaneously or very shortly after its manufacture, but microscopie examination reveals that the name has been applied using a partly erased previous signature which can be interpreted as "Aichach" the original town where Fürstenfelder worked. This watch can be said to represent an important link in the chain of mechanical advances in horology.