109th Auction

2023/11/18

Lot 47

Bahne Bonniksen

An English precision pocket watch with 34 min. carousel and original wooden box, tested at the Kew Observatory in 1904 and awarded 89.2 marks with an 'Ae/g' certificate

Sold

estimated
4.5006.000 €
Price realized
7.000 €
specific features
Case
Silver, engraving on the back lid: "K.S.A. XX.V.", case maker's punch mark "W.B", gold crown and hinge.
Dial
Enamel.
Movement
3/4 plate movement, punch mark "P.E.B." below a crown, lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance, freesprung blued balance spring.
Case no.43221
Diam.58 mm
Circa1905
Ctry.England
Wt.189 g


This Bonniksen carousel was allocated Kew reference number 12064 (shortened to 2064 in the body of the ledger pages). It was awarded 89.2 marks with an 'Ae/g' certificate. Unfortunately there is no instant information about the 'KSA' inscription. It probably refers to the organisation that used the watch.
'Carousel' watches are a design by the Danish watchmaker Bahne Bonniksen, who registered the patent in 1892 in England. His intention was to create a compromise between the "expensive" tourbillon and a normal chronometer - and he actually achieved better results with his carousel than some of the tourbillons. In fact, we know of very few pocket watches that bear the signature of B. Bonniksen.