German Gilt Brass Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Second half of the sixteenth century
This watch is an horological object with a gilt brass case, dated to the second half of the sixteenth century and attributed to a German origin. The case is constructed using cast, pierced, and chased techniques.
The watch measures 6.8 cm in diameter and 3.8 cm in depth. The provenance of the object is linked to the collection of Ralph Bernal (1783-1854), a politician and art collector. The watch was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1855 following the sale of the Bernal collection by Christie's. The object is officially documented as accession number 2369-1855. It is noted that the movement currently contained within the case is not original to the piece.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- Second half of the sixteenth century
- Type
- Watch
- Maker
- Unknown
- Dimensions
- 6.8 cm diameter, 3.8 cm depth
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Movement status
- Not original
- Place of origin
- Germany
- Materials and techniques
- Cast, pierced and chased gilt brass
Design
- Case and Dial
- The object features a circular gilt brass case, which has been fashioned through casting, piercing, and chasing techniques. The exterior displays decorative work consistent with these metalworking methods. The diameter of the casing is 6.8 cm, with a depth of 3.8 cm. The face of the watch includes a dial marked with Roman numerals. The dial surface is decorated with engraved scrollwork patterns. A central hand and a secondary hand are positioned at the center of the dial.
- Visible features
- • Gilt brass construction • Engraved dial with Roman numerals • Central hand and hour hand present • Circular form with hinged case
- Movement and Condition
- The internal mechanism is not the original movement belonging to this case. This indicates that the current pairing of the movement and the casing is a later modification or replacement. No further details regarding the non-original movement's make or period are documented. The case materials remain consistent with the original attribution of a German sixteenth-century manufacture. The physical state reflects the historical nature of the object as it was handled within a significant nineteenth-century private collection before its museum acquisition.
- Provenance and Acquisition
- This watch was part of the collection held by Ralph Bernal (1783-1854), who was active as a politician in the House of Commons from 1815 to 1852. Following his death, his extensive collection of 730 lots was purchased for the Museum of Ornamental Art, which is now the Victoria and Albert Museum. The acquisition occurred in 1855 through an auction held by Christie's. The watch has been part of the museum's holdings since the mid-nineteenth century.
Identification
- Accession number
- 2369-1855
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The movement is explicitly stated as not original
- Research required: Maker is unknown