Steel pocket watch outer case with royal monogram and Jan Fredman label, 1712–1767
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
1712–1767
This round protective watch case is made of steel with gilded brass edging and a cutout for the pendant stem. It features a hinged lid with a small bezel opening for the dial (diameter 43 mm) and a blued steel spring catch. The sides of both the lid and lower section are pierced with finely engraved scrolling foliage.
The underside of the case is inlaid in gold, polished flush with the steel, displaying a mirrored 'C' monogram crowned with a royal crown and flanked by two crossed palm branches tied at the base. The interior is lined with light blue silk, containing a loose paper watch label printed with the firm of master watchmaker and alderman in Stockholm, Jan Fredman (1712–1767).
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 2
- 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.
Historical context
Jean Fredman, born Johan Fredrik Fredman (1712 or 1713 – 1767), was an 18th-century Stockholm watchmaker. He initially trained as an apprentice to his father, the watchmaker Andreas Fredman. After marrying the wealthy widow Katarina Lindberg in 1745, he became embroiled in a legal dispute over the embezzlement of her money. Following her death in 1752, his fortunes declined, leaving him impoverished prior to his death in May 1767. He later served as the central figure and narrator in Carl Michael Bellman's 18th-century works, the Songs of Fredman and Epistles of Fredman.
Physical characteristics
- Case
- Round steel outer case with gilded brass mounts; hinged lid with blued steel spring catch; opening for the dial measuring 43 mm in diameter; pierced with finely engraved foliate scrollwork; underside inlaid with gold royal mirrored monogram 'C' surmounted by a crown and framed by crossed palm fronds; lined with light blue silk
Identification
- Inscriptions or signatures
- Underpart interior contains a loose paper label printed for master watchmaker and alderman Jan Fredman in Stockholm (1712–1767); monogram 'C' under a royal crown on the case exterior
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
- Maker not stated on the source photograph page; requires a signed movement or case examination.
- Escapement type not documented; requires movement examination or a horological reference.
- Jewel count and calibre not documented.
- Serial-number dating, case dimensions and weight remain untranscribed.
- No catalogue reference number is asserted; standard horological catalogues have not been transcribed for this specimen.