110th Auction

2024/5/18

Lot 109

Victor Kullberg

An exquisite precision pocket watch with 36h power reserve indication and spring detent escapement in its original box

estimated
13.00016.000 €
Price realized
-
specific features
Case
18 K gold, engraved monogram "WF", gold dome with presentation engraving: "Presented to Revd. William Fulton B.Sc.B.D. by Robert Sutherland 18th October 1913", case maker's punch mark "FT" (Frederick Thoms).
Dial
Enamel.
Movement
2/3 plate movement, chain/fusee, optionally key winding or crown winding, gold screw compensation balance, freesprung, blued, helical balance spring, set diamond endstone on balance.
Diam.53 mm
Circa1910
Ctry.England
Wt.152 g


Reverend William Fulton (born 1876 in Glasgow) attended the universities of Glasgow, Marburg and Berlin and completed his studies as a Bachelor of Science of Maths and Astronomy. In1913 he got married to Annie Ida Sutherland. Fulton worked as a pastor and professor of Theology in England, Schottland and Ireland. Over the years he published many theological papers.


Victor Kullberg was born at Visby on the island of Gothland, Sweden in 1824 and was apprenticed to a chronometer maker in 1840. On the completion of his training he was employed by Louis Urban Juergensen in Copenhagen, but was attracted to Britain at the time of the 1851 Exhibition. In Britain he remained as a maker of marine and pocket chronometers to which he brought several innovations.
From 1860 onwards, thanks to the high quality of his machines and the efficiency of his new forms of auxiliary compensation, he consistently scored ratings in chronometrical competitions throughout the world and was awarded numerous gold and silver medals. With an international trade and reputation he was appointed chronometer maker to the Swedish and Norwegian navies in 1874 and, about a machine entered for the Greenwich trials of 1882, the Astronomer Royal reported that it was 'the finest chronometer they had ever had on trial'. Although unmarried, Kullberg had two sons. On their father's death, 7 July 1890, they jointly inherited the business with his nephew Peter
John Wennerstrom. After the death of the nephews, Wennerstrom and his son bought out the other interests in the business. Subsequently it was continued by Sanfrid Lindquist and survived until the 2nk Wold War during which its premises were destroyed.
Lit.: Paul M. Chamberlain "It's about Time", New York, page 435-437.