拍品專文
Victor Kullberg, 1824-90, was perhaps the greatest chronometer maker of the second half of the 19th century.
He was born in Visby on the Swedish island of Gothland, he served his apprenticeship with an unknown chronometer maker before working for the House of Jurgensen in Copenhagen. In 1851 he went to the Great Exhibition where he was so impressed by the level of workmanship and innovation he decided to stay. He very quickly made a big impression on the chronometer making industry and by the late 1850's he had set up his own workshops. Kullberg quickly realised that one of the best ways to make a name for himself was to enter his chronometers into the time trials at the Royal Observatory. In 1862 he submitted two pieces and out of the eighty entered his took first and second place! In 1863 he was second and in '64 first again. This success at the Trials continued culminating in 1882 when in the Astronometer Royal's report to the Clockmakers' Company he wrote of Kullberg's entry this was the finest chronometer they had ever had on trial. To enhance his name in the public eye Kullberg exhibited all over the world achieving Gold medals in 1868 at Havre and the National Academy in Paris, also Gold medals at Naples in 1871 and at Trieste in '72. In 1874 he was appointed chronometer maker to Sweden and Norway and decorated with the Order of Wasa. In J. Tripplin's Account of the exhibits of the French International exhibition in 1889, op. cit. he writes; Of the four English exhibitors, Victor Kullberg deserves a special mention, because it can be said that he is the true representative of English chronometry in the most scientific and distinguished form. Kullberg is an artist; he designs, invents and executes personally, he is, as one of the French competitors said, the Prince of Chronometer Makers; his name on the Continent is a passe partout and no exhibition has yet seen him depart without having been crowned with honours. He not only made under his own name but also supplied movements to many other prominent chronometer retailers both in England and abroad. One of his best remembered inventions was his 'Flat Rim' balance which is used on the present carriage clock, it was designed to provide continuous auxilliary compensation. It was very expensive to produce but remarkably effective; it also has a particularly appealing design. On his death his business was inherited by his two sons and his nephew Peter Wennerstrom. The latter, having more of a hands on approach in the workshop bought the two sons out and carried on the business maintaining Kullberg's high standards.
The majority of the Kullberg work books from 1870-1943 now reside in the archives at Goldsmiths' Hall. In the stock records No. 6037 is actually listed as a standard carriage timepiece made for Hunt and Roskell but at the top of the page is the reference;
4052 mantlepiece clock the No. altered 6037, sold to Ogilvy Esq
Dec. 1908 bought by R. Sutherland Esq for 95 guineas from John Ogilvy, see order book 317 & 235.
One volume back in the workshop records under Kullberg No. 4052 is a very full and unusually untidy record titled;
No. 4052/No. 6037, John Ogilvy July 3 1899
John Ogilvy sold this to R. Sutherland Dec 1908 for 95 guineas, see order book 317 & 235
THE LARGE CLOCK CASE IN STOCK
2 diamonds Claxton Oct 79 1
chronometer escapement Abbott 3. 10
MOVEMENT
To chime quarters on four gongs and striking
the hour on gong 26. 10
polishing and spotting the platform Morrison 5
clean, polishing up case 2. 5
gilding case - pillars Johnson 9
spotting and polishing Dean 4. 13
springing 1. 10
re-gilding parts to case 7
re-silver dial 1. 6
Abbott, new 'scape pinion (Morrison broke it)
Claxton screw holes
Morrison making platform (paid 1882)
Etc, Etc.
It is possible that No. 4052/6037 was started as early as 1878 when a North American agent, Bond & Son ordered an unusual chronometer carriage clock to be made of solid gold for a special client, in fact Kullberg finally made it of silver and it apparently weighed 93½ oz. It was was sent to Bond & Son on January 11, 1880 at about the same time that the case for the present clock was entered into the workshop records; see Allix, Carriage Clocks, op. cit., p. 284. The presumption is that Kullberg sensibly had two cases made from the same mould; No. 4013 in silver and No. 4052/6037 (the present clock) in brass.
Presumably, going from the records, Kullberg was going to have a movement made at that time but for whatever reason he only got as far as making the platform.
The next entry in the book under 4052 is in July 1894 when a quarter chiming movement was ordered but curiously the clock was not finished until 1899 when it was sold to John Ogilvy Esq on 3 July. John Ogilvy was one of Kullberg's regular clients; going through the workshop records there are a good many sales of watches and of some carriage clocks to Ogilvy, vide Allix op. cit., p. 284, pl. IX/68; over a period of perhaps 10-15 years they regularly corresponded. It is conceivable that he acted as some kind of agent but one suspects that he was more of an enthusiastic collector, his address in the Boltons certainly indicates he was of good financial standing.
It is difficult, if not impossible to make out exactly how much John Ogilvy paid for this clock; unlike all the other entries in the books where the costings are neatly laid out No. 4052/6037 is so messy and confused that the only total to be found is £45.17, but this was certainly not the full amount paid by Ogilvy. Quite why Ogilvy wanted to sell the clock after only nine years is not explained in any correspondence between Ogilvy and Kullberg. The first entry regarding the clock is for October 1908 when a letter is recorded from John Ogilvy to the house of Kullberg;
I have to thank you for your letter of yesterdays reporting a final offer from Mr. R. Sutherland of 95 pounds for the above subject to reply tomorrow, and unless Messrs Hancocks can hold out any prospects of a sale on better terms I think it may be well to close with Mr S..
Later in the Kullberg records a visit by Robert Sutherland (himself a regular client of Kullberg's) is recorded dated November 4 1908;
Called and decided to buy Mr Ogilvy's chiming clock £95 and to be sent to him addressed Southbar, Houston Station, Caledonian Railway.
And in a subsequent letter from Sutherland dated November 18;
I got the clock home and found (it) to be going all right and have pleasure to hand you the cheque for 95
Robert Sutherland of Southbar, Renfrewshire was a medical student in Scotland when in his fourth year at college was lured away into the whisky trade. It obviously suited him well because he later became chairman of Bullock Laide a large distillery on the famous malt whisky producing island of Islay on the west coast of Scotland. With his success he bought Southbar, a large estate in Renfrew (50 miles west of Glasgow) and now the clock has passed down three generations to his great grandson.
To have such a graphic and unusual record of an English carriage clock is exceptionally rare. The only other comparable records are those of the Vulliamy workshops, but unlike Vulliamy, Kullberg made precious few carriage clocks but those that were produced give collectors a unique and fascinating insight into their history.
He was born in Visby on the Swedish island of Gothland, he served his apprenticeship with an unknown chronometer maker before working for the House of Jurgensen in Copenhagen. In 1851 he went to the Great Exhibition where he was so impressed by the level of workmanship and innovation he decided to stay. He very quickly made a big impression on the chronometer making industry and by the late 1850's he had set up his own workshops. Kullberg quickly realised that one of the best ways to make a name for himself was to enter his chronometers into the time trials at the Royal Observatory. In 1862 he submitted two pieces and out of the eighty entered his took first and second place! In 1863 he was second and in '64 first again. This success at the Trials continued culminating in 1882 when in the Astronometer Royal's report to the Clockmakers' Company he wrote of Kullberg's entry this was the finest chronometer they had ever had on trial. To enhance his name in the public eye Kullberg exhibited all over the world achieving Gold medals in 1868 at Havre and the National Academy in Paris, also Gold medals at Naples in 1871 and at Trieste in '72. In 1874 he was appointed chronometer maker to Sweden and Norway and decorated with the Order of Wasa. In J. Tripplin's Account of the exhibits of the French International exhibition in 1889, op. cit. he writes; Of the four English exhibitors, Victor Kullberg deserves a special mention, because it can be said that he is the true representative of English chronometry in the most scientific and distinguished form. Kullberg is an artist; he designs, invents and executes personally, he is, as one of the French competitors said, the Prince of Chronometer Makers; his name on the Continent is a passe partout and no exhibition has yet seen him depart without having been crowned with honours. He not only made under his own name but also supplied movements to many other prominent chronometer retailers both in England and abroad. One of his best remembered inventions was his 'Flat Rim' balance which is used on the present carriage clock, it was designed to provide continuous auxilliary compensation. It was very expensive to produce but remarkably effective; it also has a particularly appealing design. On his death his business was inherited by his two sons and his nephew Peter Wennerstrom. The latter, having more of a hands on approach in the workshop bought the two sons out and carried on the business maintaining Kullberg's high standards.
The majority of the Kullberg work books from 1870-1943 now reside in the archives at Goldsmiths' Hall. In the stock records No. 6037 is actually listed as a standard carriage timepiece made for Hunt and Roskell but at the top of the page is the reference;
4052 mantlepiece clock the No. altered 6037, sold to Ogilvy Esq
Dec. 1908 bought by R. Sutherland Esq for 95 guineas from John Ogilvy, see order book 317 & 235.
One volume back in the workshop records under Kullberg No. 4052 is a very full and unusually untidy record titled;
No. 4052/No. 6037, John Ogilvy July 3 1899
John Ogilvy sold this to R. Sutherland Dec 1908 for 95 guineas, see order book 317 & 235
THE LARGE CLOCK CASE IN STOCK
2 diamonds Claxton Oct 79 1
chronometer escapement Abbott 3. 10
MOVEMENT
To chime quarters on four gongs and striking
the hour on gong 26. 10
polishing and spotting the platform Morrison 5
clean, polishing up case 2. 5
gilding case - pillars Johnson 9
spotting and polishing Dean 4. 13
springing 1. 10
re-gilding parts to case 7
re-silver dial 1. 6
Abbott, new 'scape pinion (Morrison broke it)
Claxton screw holes
Morrison making platform (paid 1882)
Etc, Etc.
It is possible that No. 4052/6037 was started as early as 1878 when a North American agent, Bond & Son ordered an unusual chronometer carriage clock to be made of solid gold for a special client, in fact Kullberg finally made it of silver and it apparently weighed 93½ oz. It was was sent to Bond & Son on January 11, 1880 at about the same time that the case for the present clock was entered into the workshop records; see Allix, Carriage Clocks, op. cit., p. 284. The presumption is that Kullberg sensibly had two cases made from the same mould; No. 4013 in silver and No. 4052/6037 (the present clock) in brass.
Presumably, going from the records, Kullberg was going to have a movement made at that time but for whatever reason he only got as far as making the platform.
The next entry in the book under 4052 is in July 1894 when a quarter chiming movement was ordered but curiously the clock was not finished until 1899 when it was sold to John Ogilvy Esq on 3 July. John Ogilvy was one of Kullberg's regular clients; going through the workshop records there are a good many sales of watches and of some carriage clocks to Ogilvy, vide Allix op. cit., p. 284, pl. IX/68; over a period of perhaps 10-15 years they regularly corresponded. It is conceivable that he acted as some kind of agent but one suspects that he was more of an enthusiastic collector, his address in the Boltons certainly indicates he was of good financial standing.
It is difficult, if not impossible to make out exactly how much John Ogilvy paid for this clock; unlike all the other entries in the books where the costings are neatly laid out No. 4052/6037 is so messy and confused that the only total to be found is £45.17, but this was certainly not the full amount paid by Ogilvy. Quite why Ogilvy wanted to sell the clock after only nine years is not explained in any correspondence between Ogilvy and Kullberg. The first entry regarding the clock is for October 1908 when a letter is recorded from John Ogilvy to the house of Kullberg;
I have to thank you for your letter of yesterdays reporting a final offer from Mr. R. Sutherland of 95 pounds for the above subject to reply tomorrow, and unless Messrs Hancocks can hold out any prospects of a sale on better terms I think it may be well to close with Mr S..
Later in the Kullberg records a visit by Robert Sutherland (himself a regular client of Kullberg's) is recorded dated November 4 1908;
Called and decided to buy Mr Ogilvy's chiming clock £95 and to be sent to him addressed Southbar, Houston Station, Caledonian Railway.
And in a subsequent letter from Sutherland dated November 18;
I got the clock home and found (it) to be going all right and have pleasure to hand you the cheque for 95
Robert Sutherland of Southbar, Renfrewshire was a medical student in Scotland when in his fourth year at college was lured away into the whisky trade. It obviously suited him well because he later became chairman of Bullock Laide a large distillery on the famous malt whisky producing island of Islay on the west coast of Scotland. With his success he bought Southbar, a large estate in Renfrew (50 miles west of Glasgow) and now the clock has passed down three generations to his great grandson.
To have such a graphic and unusual record of an English carriage clock is exceptionally rare. The only other comparable records are those of the Vulliamy workshops, but unlike Vulliamy, Kullberg made precious few carriage clocks but those that were produced give collectors a unique and fascinating insight into their history.