November, 19 13 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



399 



shapes, according to the bent of the maker or the whim of the intricately pierced and fretted outer case. Yet another 

 the customer, until the middle of the seventeenth century delightful piece of Nuremberg work is the watch immedi- 

 when people began to carry them in their pockets. Before ately following. The case is silver with pierced sides and 

 that time they were carried in full view and formed a fea- the dial is gilt. On the bridge, which is beautifully wrought 



ture of personal adornment for both sexes. From tt 1 u with embossing and carving, may be seen the mak- 



that time onward, however, although pretty con- 

 ceits in the form of 

 watch cases continued 

 in vogue for ladies, 

 who wore them as 

 before, .men's time- 

 pieces were made in 

 approximately their 

 present form for 

 pocket use. When 

 the piety of the 

 watchmaker did not 

 lead him to choose 

 religious subjects of 

 embellishment, he 



was very apt to select Watch face with dials for the 

 them from the rich hours, days of the month, signs of 

 field of mythology, the Zodiac and phases of the moon 

 Father Time, hour glasses and the signs of the Some of tne J 8th 

 zodiac were of course favorite devices 



A bell, on which the hours are 

 struck by a little 

 spring hammer, 

 takes up the whole 

 inside of the cover 

 and fits tightly over 

 the bridge when the 

 case is closed. The 

 dial, which has only 

 one hand, has the 

 hours up to twenty- 

 four in Arabic num- 

 erals at the outside 

 edge and, in a circle 

 within, the hours 

 from one to twelve, 

 twice over in Roman 

 numerals. This 



watches 



given cases of ex- 

 Ihe watch illustrated on page 397 dates rrom 



This watch is an unusually fine 

 example of one having no hands 

 but an inter-revolving dial instead 



watch dates from the early years of the seventeenth 

 century. The seventeenth century timepiece, shown 



traordinary shapes, on P a S e 39 6 >. has a rock crystal front, while a 



early in the sixteenth century and was made in such as this lute- wealth of intricate scroll tracery and fretting has 

 Nuremberg. Its case is of "cannister" or drum shaped one been lavished on the bridge. Masterpieces of sev- 



form and is of embossed and pieced brass or bronze while enteenth century bridge work, the former of bronze and 



the movement is made of steel. The disc with its one silver and the latter of silver are illustrated in page 397. 



revolving hand and pointer is elaborate and ingenious. An- The delicacy of workmanship bestowed on bridge ornamen- 



other example of Nuremberg work, dating from about 15 25 * tation is delightful to see and impresses one forcibly with 



is also here illustrated, which displays rather more mechan- the genuine pleasure the old craftsmen felt in their work — 



ism on its bridge than some of the others. The Nuremberg a welcome contrast to the rampant commercialism of our 



watch (centre of page 396) dates from the sixteenth own day. 



century is the fourth watch, and the maker was one Johann The watch illustrated on page 398 was made in Paris in 



Griiber and the timepiece was made after 1525 as it was 1765. The case is of gold completely covered with the rich- 



about that time that the maker's full name began to appear est and most elaborate parti-colored enamel in high relief 



instead of merely his initials. The beautifully embossed in a design of fruits, flowers and foliage and is a triumph 



dial is well worth close examination. While admiring the of the enameller's art at a time when that craft had reached 



design and skill of workmanship it will also be observed a rare degree of perfection. The bezel around the open 



that beneath each of the Roman numerals, indicating the face is set with four large emeralds and a number of smaller 



hours, is a small knob or stud so that the position of the alternating rubies and diamonds. After this comes an Eng- 



hand can be felt as well as seen and the time told in the lish watch, page 399, made in 1780 by Peter Carlow of 



dark. The painted cover bearing the Crucifixion as a device London. Its unusual appearance is due chiefly to the dial, 



is executed in a style thoroughly characteristic of the It was made for the Turkish market and has the hours 



period. This is a very early example of this type of watch marked by Phoenician cuniform numerals as well as by 



decoration. raised studs for telling the time in the dark. The two 



Another, which was also made in Nuremberg, probably bridges show the beautiful quality of workmanship dis- 



between the years 1525 and 1545, plainly shows the inter- played by some of the English watchmakers. As will be 



esting arrangement of the bell, which fills the whole inside seen, the character of the embellishment is quite different 



of the lid and practically makes, when closed, a tight-fitting from that on the German bridges, 



case that serves as a better protection to the works than The watches next in order are of French make dating 



Early English bridge-work 



English watch by Peter Carlow, 1 780, made for Turkish 

 market. Phoenician numerals, engraved case, silver embossed 



Early English bridge-work 



