Lot 5

J. Assmann

A rare, historically interesting Glashuette pocket watch

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The Speck family came from the Appenzellerland and Baden. Maximilian Speck (1732–1778) from Kocherstetten settled in Saxonia after his marriage and opened an inn in Gröba near Riesa. He went to Leipzig at the age of 20 and became a merchant. In 1818 he opened a wool shop, acquired some plots of land in Leipzig and purchased the Lützschena estate with Freiroda. Maximilian Speck established a "show farm" for cattle breeding, in particular sheep farming. His agricultural sucesses and his trade connections brought him an invitation from the Tsar of Russia, who appointed him a knight (Ritter von Speck). In 1829 King Ludwig I of Bavaria made him a baron (Freiherr von Sternburg) for his knowledge in sheep farming and wool trading. In Lützschena Maximilian established the brewery "Sternburg-Bier". His son Alexander Maximilian Speck von Sternburg managed the brewery until his death in 1911. He was succeeded by James Alexander (1856-1916), who changed the brewery into a limited company (brewery Sternburg G.m.b.H. Leipzig-Lützschena)in 1913.