Lot Essay
Johann Diedrich Thies was a little known chronometer maker from Hamburg. In the winter 1880-81 he is mentioned as having entered two marine chronometers in the Chronometer trials at the Deutsche Seewarte, they had serial numbers No. 1 and No. 2 and came 23rd and 24th out of 35 chronomters tested. His business address was listed as Neierwall 24 and Posterstr 1.
F. Dencker was born ca. 1835-1909. He was co-founder of the Chronometer Werke GmbH, Hamburg in 1905 and was its first Technical Director. For a short period of time in the 1870s he had a partnership with Theodor Knoblich whose name is engraved on a very similar wall regulator sold Dr. H Crott Auktionen, 47 auktion, 13 November 1993, Lot 120.
It seems he retailed some 300 marine chronometers that were first bought in England and later from Ulysse Nardin. It is also known that Kullberg supplied Knoblich with marine chronometers.
Dencker's regulators are typical Hamburg or Altona style based on Kessel's design with a short anchor spanning only 6½ teeth with the pivot holes in a vertical line.
We would like to thank Karl Langer for his help in preparing these notes.
F. Dencker was born ca. 1835-1909. He was co-founder of the Chronometer Werke GmbH, Hamburg in 1905 and was its first Technical Director. For a short period of time in the 1870s he had a partnership with Theodor Knoblich whose name is engraved on a very similar wall regulator sold Dr. H Crott Auktionen, 47 auktion, 13 November 1993, Lot 120.
It seems he retailed some 300 marine chronometers that were first bought in England and later from Ulysse Nardin. It is also known that Kullberg supplied Knoblich with marine chronometers.
Dencker's regulators are typical Hamburg or Altona style based on Kessel's design with a short anchor spanning only 6½ teeth with the pivot holes in a vertical line.
We would like to thank Karl Langer for his help in preparing these notes.