Lot 59

Karl Haselbacher

K.K. Fachschule für Uhrenindustrie, Karlstein

A very fine Austrian graduate's piece created according to Glashuette design with spring detent escapement, made by Karl Haselbacher, teacher at the K.K. Fachschule für Uhrenindustrie, (royal and imperial Horological College), Karlstein a. d. Thaya

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The K. & K. horological college in Karlstein/Lower Austria was established in 1873. Kurt Dietzschold was teacher and director at the school from 1878 to 1903. He had come to Karlstein from Glashütte, to work at a watch- and clockmaking school older than the Glashütte school. In Glashütte he had worked at the newly established company Strasser & Rohde. For a short while (March 21 to October 23, 1878) he even owned the company. On the suggestion of Moritz Großmann, Dietzschold was appointed director of the school in Karlstein in 1879. According to various sources he was able to bring the rather run down school back to a high-standard academy. He wrote books that carried great weight at German-speaking watch- and clockmaking schools and his curriculum was used at all the German-speaking horological schools. He was director of the school until 1903. Kurt Dietzschold died at the age of 70 in Karlstein; by then he had gone blind. His successor was Alois Irk, class of 1880 who had been working at the school since 1891, author of books such as "Der Chronometergang" (the chronometer movement), senior civil servant, professor and owner of this pocket watch. Later the watch went to Anton Preslmayr, director of the watchmaker’s trainee workshop at Vienna.
Sources:
Dr. Klaus Pöhlmann, "Rückschau ins Uhrenlandl - 125 Jahre Uhrmacherschule Karlstein" in Klassik Uhren, 5/98, p. 45f.
Dr. Klaus Pöhlmann "Schuluhren aus Österreich - Taschenuhr aus Karlstein" in Klassik Uhren, 6/98, p. 52f.