Gribelin Engraved Silver and Gilt Brass Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1614
This watch, dated 1614, is constructed from engraved silver and gilded brass. The object features a highly decorated dial engraved with foliage, figures, a donkey, and two rabbits, with a central scene depicting Abraham preparing to sacrifice Isaac.
The interior of the case back is equipped with a sundial. The watch movement is signed by the maker, Simon Gribelin of Blois, with the date 1614 inscribed on the movement plate. The overall dimensions are 7.5 cm in height, 4.4 cm in width, and 3.2 cm in depth. The exterior of the case is engraved with a coat of arms surrounded by a laurel wreath. It is noted that the finial of the case has been filed off. The watch remains in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum under the accession number 1066-1853.
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
- Type
- Oval watch
- Maker
- Gribelin, Simon
- Dimensions
- 7.5 cm x 4.4 cm x 3.2 cm
- Inscriptions
- Gribelin A Blois 1614
- Place recorded
- France
- Place of origin
- France
- Maker / attribution
- Gribelin, Simon
Design
- Visible features
- • Case back features a coat of arms within a laurel wreath • Dial engraving includes two rabbits and a donkey • Movement features ornate foliate bridges • Movement plate is signed 'Gribelin A Blois 1614'
- Dial and Decoration
- The dial is extensively decorated with engravings featuring foliage and various figures. Central to the design, within the chapter ring, is a depiction of the biblical scene of Abraham on the point of sacrificing Isaac. The surrounding ornamentation includes depictions of a donkey and two rabbits, illustrating the level of detail applied to the metalwork surfaces.
- Movement and Signatures
- The movement is constructed of gilded brass with intricate foliate bridges. The movement plate is clearly signed and dated by the maker, identifying it as a product of Simon Gribelin in Blois, dated 1614. The movement plate contains clear inscriptions that anchor the object to both the maker and the year of manufacture.
- Case and Exterior Features
- The watch case is crafted from engraved silver and gilded brass. The exterior back cover displays an engraved coat of arms framed by a wreath. The overall oval shape of the watch measures 7.5 cm in height by 4.4 cm in width and 3.2 cm in depth. It is documented that the original finial of the case has been filed off, impacting the original structural profile of the timepiece. The internal face of the back cover contains an integrated sundial feature.
Identification
- Accession number
- 1066-1853
- 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 finial of the case is reported as filed off
- Research required: The original state of the sundial mechanism cannot be fully verified through the available images