Nicolaus. A fine and rare silver openface keywound deck chronometer

SIGNED J. NICOLAUS, WIEN, NO. 52, CIRCA 1885

Details

Nicolaus. A fine and rare silver openface keywound deck chronometer
Signed J. Nicolaus, Wien, No. 52, circa 1885
With gilt-finished full plate jewelled movement, Earnshaw-type spring detent escapement, gilt brass escape wheel, bimetallic compensation balance with gold screws, blued steel helical spring with double terminal curve, silver cuvette, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, blued steel pear hands, subsidiary seconds, in large circular case, the engine-turned back with engraved inscription K. u. K. Kriegs-Marine to the inside, case and cuvette numbered, dial and movement signed and numbered
64 mm. diam.

Provenance

The Time Museum, Inventory 1499.

Literature

The Time Museum Catalogue of Chronometers by Anthony G. Randall, p. 268, pl. 125.

Lot Essay

Accompanied by a three-tier mahogany observation box, the circular plaque to the top with inscription NO. 4348 Brüder Klumak Wien. Klumak Brothers in Vienna were chronometer makers for the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Navy.

Joseph Nicolaus (1855-1923) was a watchmaker and watch collector in Vienna. He participated at various exhibitions and became a master watchmaker in 1885. The Watch Museum in Vienna owns several of his watches.

The present watch is engraved K. u. K. Kriegs-Marine or Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegs-Marine and was supplied to the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Marine. The case was most probably made in Switzerland as it is stamped with the Swiss silver mark used from 1882 to 1934 depicting a standing bear.

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