103rd Auction
2020/11/7
Lot 124
Theodor Knoblich, Altona, Movement No. 1810, Height 1340 mm, circa 1870
An elegant precision regulator of "first quality, according Kessels type" with brass/steel-compensation pendulum, probably formerly used in the KuK-Marine Observatory Pola, Istria
Case: mahogany, removeable. Dial: silvered. Movm.: trapezoid-shaped brass movement, lever and escape wheel with sapphire bearings, Graham escapement with adjustable steel pallets with inlaid sapphires, pendulum spring suspension.
In the upcoming volume 6 of the series Präzisionspendeluhren in Deutschland von 1730 bis 1940 (precision pendulum clocks in Germany from 1730 to 1940), Jürgen Ermert describes this clock by Theodor Knoblich, which was hitherto unknown:
"The clock is signed on the dial "Knoblich. Altona. 1810." and is a very early Knoblich PP wall clock dating from around 1870/71 – we know of only three remaining Knoblich clocks with the numbers 1711, 1736 and 1808 made after 1866 – in a typical ‘Hanseatic’ style mahogany case (dimensions: hight 1340 x width 330 x depth 21 cm), with central glass panel and lockable glass doors top and bottom. The two-part case (top and bottom part) is fixed to the back panel with 8 large, twisted screws. The silvered regulator dial (dimensions 225 x 225 mm) has a central minute hand and a 24-hour dial with Arabic numerals for sidereal time. The serial number "1810" is positioned inside the hour ring instead of at the bottom end of the dial; this position was then used for all later Knoblich clocks.
The clock has a trapezoid 8-day brass movement with four pillars in the style invented by Kessel, with chatons (lever and gear wheel axle with sapphires) and a Graham escapement with a lever with adjustable sapphire pallets with the 6½ teeth construction Knoblich typically used. The movement operates with a small brass-covered lead weight of 654 g, which has hooks at top and bottom - likely one of Knoblich’s distinctive features. The plates and the mounting of the movement are ornamented with the unusual "irregular cloud pattern". The clock is in fine original condition, the original mercury compensation pendulum, however, was replaced by a circa 12,75 kilo gridiron compound pendulum with 5 steel and 4 brass rods and a polished brass/lead bob (size 210 mm). The silvered pendulum scale is also original."
Based on the movement number, the clock can quite safely be dated to 1870/71. At the time the new observatory in the city of Pola (then part of Austria) was put into service and astronomer Johann Palisa lists - in addition two pendulum clocks by Vorauer and Dent - " apendulum clock by Knoblich" in the inventory, which was most likely this clock.
Another distinctive feature that, like the 24 hour dial, argues for astronomical purposes is is the lever on the axle for Knoblich’s own galvanic circuit breaker system. The drill holes for the contacts are still present in the side of the case.
Ermert always distinguishes between two movement types of different quality when talking about Knoblich’s precision pendulum clocks; this difference is also clearly reflected in the price. The clocks designated as "prima Qualität, genau nach Kessels Modell" (prime quality, based on the design by Kessel) are easily recognized from the vertical alignment of the wheel axles, as can be seen in our clock no. 1810.
Theodor Knoblich was born on November 28, 1827 in Friedland in Silesia. Even when he was still a child, he began supporting his parents by making pins and repairing musical instruments. Later Knoblich worked with Moritz Krille in Altona; he went on to become head-workman with Schneider in Hamburg and eventually took over Krille’s business in 1863. The company now traded as "Theodor Knoblich, Krilles Nachfolger". Knoblich produced many timekeepers with stop watch function and marine chronometers and delivered chronographs and electric clocks to national and international observatories. He kept in close contact with the observatory in Kiel (which had been moved there from Altona) and used this connection to improve his knowledge of scientific instruments. He built an electric escapement similar to that by Tiede for the Repsold Equatorial and from 1871 on he produced pendulum clocks with and without barometric compensation for observatories like Hamburg and Strasbourg. In 1877 Knoblich moved his business to Hamburg and worked with Ferdinand Dencker on the production of chronometers – this cooperation only lasted a short while, however. Knoblich received awards in Stettin in 1865, in Altona in 1869 and in Vienna in 1873. He produced fine clocks, pendulum clocks and chronometers, for which he usually created the balances and escapements himself; he only had the mainsprings for his chronometers delivered from England. In 1891 Knoblich sold his company due to health reasons and retired. He died on July 1, 1892.
Source: https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Knoblich,_Theodor, as of 02/09/2016
An elegant precision regulator of "first quality, according Kessels type" with brass/steel-compensation pendulum, probably formerly used in the KuK-Marine Observatory Pola, Istria
Case: mahogany, removeable. Dial: silvered. Movm.: trapezoid-shaped brass movement, lever and escape wheel with sapphire bearings, Graham escapement with adjustable steel pallets with inlaid sapphires, pendulum spring suspension.
In the upcoming volume 6 of the series Präzisionspendeluhren in Deutschland von 1730 bis 1940 (precision pendulum clocks in Germany from 1730 to 1940), Jürgen Ermert describes this clock by Theodor Knoblich, which was hitherto unknown:
"The clock is signed on the dial "Knoblich. Altona. 1810." and is a very early Knoblich PP wall clock dating from around 1870/71 – we know of only three remaining Knoblich clocks with the numbers 1711, 1736 and 1808 made after 1866 – in a typical ‘Hanseatic’ style mahogany case (dimensions: hight 1340 x width 330 x depth 21 cm), with central glass panel and lockable glass doors top and bottom. The two-part case (top and bottom part) is fixed to the back panel with 8 large, twisted screws. The silvered regulator dial (dimensions 225 x 225 mm) has a central minute hand and a 24-hour dial with Arabic numerals for sidereal time. The serial number "1810" is positioned inside the hour ring instead of at the bottom end of the dial; this position was then used for all later Knoblich clocks.
The clock has a trapezoid 8-day brass movement with four pillars in the style invented by Kessel, with chatons (lever and gear wheel axle with sapphires) and a Graham escapement with a lever with adjustable sapphire pallets with the 6½ teeth construction Knoblich typically used. The movement operates with a small brass-covered lead weight of 654 g, which has hooks at top and bottom - likely one of Knoblich’s distinctive features. The plates and the mounting of the movement are ornamented with the unusual "irregular cloud pattern". The clock is in fine original condition, the original mercury compensation pendulum, however, was replaced by a circa 12,75 kilo gridiron compound pendulum with 5 steel and 4 brass rods and a polished brass/lead bob (size 210 mm). The silvered pendulum scale is also original."
Based on the movement number, the clock can quite safely be dated to 1870/71. At the time the new observatory in the city of Pola (then part of Austria) was put into service and astronomer Johann Palisa lists - in addition two pendulum clocks by Vorauer and Dent - " apendulum clock by Knoblich" in the inventory, which was most likely this clock.
Another distinctive feature that, like the 24 hour dial, argues for astronomical purposes is is the lever on the axle for Knoblich’s own galvanic circuit breaker system. The drill holes for the contacts are still present in the side of the case.
Ermert always distinguishes between two movement types of different quality when talking about Knoblich’s precision pendulum clocks; this difference is also clearly reflected in the price. The clocks designated as "prima Qualität, genau nach Kessels Modell" (prime quality, based on the design by Kessel) are easily recognized from the vertical alignment of the wheel axles, as can be seen in our clock no. 1810.
Theodor Knoblich was born on November 28, 1827 in Friedland in Silesia. Even when he was still a child, he began supporting his parents by making pins and repairing musical instruments. Later Knoblich worked with Moritz Krille in Altona; he went on to become head-workman with Schneider in Hamburg and eventually took over Krille’s business in 1863. The company now traded as "Theodor Knoblich, Krilles Nachfolger". Knoblich produced many timekeepers with stop watch function and marine chronometers and delivered chronographs and electric clocks to national and international observatories. He kept in close contact with the observatory in Kiel (which had been moved there from Altona) and used this connection to improve his knowledge of scientific instruments. He built an electric escapement similar to that by Tiede for the Repsold Equatorial and from 1871 on he produced pendulum clocks with and without barometric compensation for observatories like Hamburg and Strasbourg. In 1877 Knoblich moved his business to Hamburg and worked with Ferdinand Dencker on the production of chronometers – this cooperation only lasted a short while, however. Knoblich received awards in Stettin in 1865, in Altona in 1869 and in Vienna in 1873. He produced fine clocks, pendulum clocks and chronometers, for which he usually created the balances and escapements himself; he only had the mainsprings for his chronometers delivered from England. In 1891 Knoblich sold his company due to health reasons and retired. He died on July 1, 1892.
Source: https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Knoblich,_Theodor, as of 02/09/2016
Sold
estimated
19.000—30.000 €
Price realized
26.900 €