Conrad KREITZER, Augsburg or Strasbourg area of Germany
Early rock-crystal cased watch with original stackfreed movement, circa 1610.
£39,995.00
Elongated octagonal gilt-metal framed three-part case with ten rock-crystal panels, retaining its original pendant and loose ring bow. The movement with three-wheel train in complete and original condition (wheels and pinions), as is the a blued-steel stackfreed spring acting on the steel cam mounted on the barrel arbor, the pinned-on cock also original. Verge (recoil) escapement, the brass balance originally regulated with a hog’s bristle adjustment – note the doted scale. Gilt dial, the silver chapter ring with gold touch pieces and retaining its original single blued-steel hand. 55 mm in length, including the pendant.
Conrad Kreitzer (various spellings), described in Baillie as “a very fine maker.” Examples of his work can be found in various museums in England (British Museum), Europe (Louvre) and America (Metropolitan Museum), as well as in many famous past collections: Blot-Garnier, Octavious Morgan, Percy Webster, etc. Not all, however, are early enough to include a stackfreed, nor to retain it, as many such watches have been altered during their life.
NB: In my fifty or so years of active watch handling, I have seen very few stackfreeds, many of which have been modern restorations. This watch truly is a rare survival, few of which are outside museums. See also the 1987 British Museum The Stackfreed catalogue by Hugh Tait and Philip Coole (and David Thompson) which provides a good indication of how few such watches survive in original condition.
The watch has, as usual, had its hog’s bristle regulator removed, and it shows some of the expected signs of age and use. So original is it, however, that I have photographed it prior to cleaning or any restoration. I am happy to have it serviced for its new owner, but I would recommend caution in any major replacement of parts that may well hide the fact of its originality. Please also know that rock-crystal continues to be mined and used to restore 16th and 17th century works of art that are later sold as ‘all original’ – one cannot carbon-date the modern cutting and polishing of rock crystal.
Item reserved
Description
Elongated octagonal gilt-metal framed three-part case with ten rock-crystal panels, retaining its original pendant and loose ring bow. The movement with three-wheel train in complete and original condition (wheels and pinions), as is the a blued-steel stackfreed spring acting on the steel cam mounted on the barrel arbor, the pinned-on cock also original. Verge (recoil) escapement, the brass balance originally regulated with a hog’s bristle adjustment – note the doted scale. Gilt dial, the silver chapter ring with gold touch pieces and retaining its original single blued-steel hand. 55 mm in length, including the pendant.
Conrad Kreitzer (various spellings), described in Baillie as “a very fine maker.” Examples of his work can be found in various museums in England (British Museum), Europe (Louvre) and America (Metropolitan Museum), as well as in many famous past collections: Blot-Garnier, Octavious Morgan, Percy Webster, etc. Not all, however, are early enough to include a stackfreed, nor to retain it, as many such watches have been altered during their life.
NB: In my fifty or so years of active watch handling, I have seen very few stackfreeds, many of which have been modern restorations. This watch truly is a rare survival, few of which are outside museums. See also the 1987 British Museum The Stackfreed catalogue by Hugh Tait and Philip Coole (and David Thompson) which provides a good indication of how few such watches survive in original condition.
The watch has, as usual, had its hog’s bristle regulator removed, and it shows some of the expected signs of age and use. So original is it, however, that I have photographed it prior to cleaning or any restoration. I am happy to have it serviced for its new owner, but I would recommend caution in any major replacement of parts that may well hide the fact of its originality. Please also know that rock-crystal continues to be mined and used to restore 16th and 17th century works of art that are later sold as ‘all original’ – one cannot carbon-date the modern cutting and polishing of rock crystal.