Important Collectors’ Wristwatches Po...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 21, 1995

LOT 235

Victor Kullberg, 105 Liverpool Road, London, No. 1881, with London hallmarks for 1870. Fine 18 ct. gold hunting cased, keyless watch with chronograph and special lever escapement.

CHF 4,500 - 5,500

Sold: CHF 4,255

C.Four body, massive, "pomme et filets", polished, marked "J.M." (John Martin). Hinged gold cuvette. D. White enamel with Roman numerals and sunk subsidiary seconds. Blued steel "spade bands". M. 18"', frosted and gilt, three-quarter plate, 15 jewels in screwed settings, "savage" twopin lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, balance spring with terminal curve, diamond endstone. Chronograph with button in the band. Signed on the dial, and the back plate decorated with medals awarded in different exhibitions from 1860 to 1868. In very good condition. Diam. 48 mm.


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Notes

was born at Visby on the island of Gothland, Sweden in 1824 and was apprenticed to a chronometer maker in 1840. On the completion of his training he was employed by Louis Urban Jurgensen in Copenhagen, but was attracted to Britain at the tinte of the 1851 Exhibition. h1 Britain he remained as a maker of marine and pocket chronometers to which he brought several innovations. Front 1860 onwards, thanks to the high quality of his machines and the efficiency of his new forms of auxiliary compensation, he consistently scored ratings in chronometrical competitions throughout the world and was awarded numerous gold and silver medals. With an international trade and reputation he was appointed chronometer maker to the Swedish and Norwegian navies in 1874 and, about a machine entered for the Greenwich trials of 1882, the Astronomer Royal reported that it was 'the finest chronometer they had ever had on trial'. Although unmarried, Kullberg had two sons.On their father's death, 7 July 1890, they jointly inherited the business with his nephew Peter John Wennerstrom. Aftrer the death of the nephews, Wennestrom and his son bought out the other interests in the business. Subsequently it was continued by Sanfrid Lindquist and survived until the 2nd World War during which its premises were destroyed. Literature: Paul M. Chamberlain, It's about Time, New York, 1941, pp 435-7. q