96th Auction
2017/11/18
Lot 438
Attributed to Louis-Elisée Piguet, Switzerland / Johannes Hartmann, Königlicher Hofuhrmacher, U. d. Linden 48/49, Berlin, Movement No. 18172, Case No. 18172, 52 mm, 147 g, circa 1893
A striking gold and enamel pocket watch of historical importance; studded with diamonds, with quarter repeater and alarm, made for retired colonel and famous travel writer Emanuel Baron von Korff
Case: 18k gold, enamel, diamonds. Dial: gilt, enamel, diamonds. Movm.: bridge movement, quality "Superieur", 2 hammers / 2 gongs, 2 barrels with tandem winding and 2 matted click on the top, screw compensation balance.
The surface of this extremely beautiful gold pocket watch is chased with a fine pattern on all sides. The back lid is decorated with an opaque white enamel Maltese cross and a translucent red enamel medallion with a diamond-studded gold fleur-de-lys, framed by a circle of diamonds. The bezel on the front reveals a motto under translucent red enamel; the writing on the bezel reads "Erfasse die Zeit - Nicht Thränen der Reue bringen eine Minute zurück die ungenützt entflohn" (seize the time - no tears of regret will bring back the wasted minutes). The centre of the dial is similarly embellished with the inscription "Emanuel von Korff, Berlin 1893" and an engraving of the two main elements of the family coat of arms - a mermaid holding a fleur-de-lys in her arms.
Emanuel Karl Heinrich von Schmysingk, known as Korff (born May 31, 1826 in Schönbruch, East Prussia, died February 5, 1903 in Rönnebeck, Altmark) was a Prussian commissioned officer and travel writer.
After training at the military schools at Culm and Berlin, Emanuel von Korff transferred to the Royal Prussian Cadet Corps and became an officer in 1847. After the Franco-Prussian war, Korff reached the peak of his career when he was appointed commander of the 15th Uhlan regiment at Strasbourg. In May 1894 Korff retired at the rank of major general.
His travels between 1895 and 1901 took him to America, Japan, China, India, Egypt, Greece, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America, the far north and Russia; Korff described his journeys in numerous diaries.
Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_von_Korff, as of 06/29/2017
In 1856, watchmaker to the royal court Johannes Hartmann acquired the watch shop D. Nèvir, which had been established by Névir’s father in Berlin, Unter den Linden 48/49 on October 1, 1763. Hartmann is mentioned in the records of the watchmakers‘ guild of Berlin as early as 1850; his company Johannes Hartmann vormals (formerly) D. Névir produced table clocks and pocket watches, some of them for scientific purposes. Johannes Hartmann vormals D. Névir was considered one of the finest shops in Berlin.
Source: https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Hartmann,_Johannes, as of 06/29/2017
A striking gold and enamel pocket watch of historical importance; studded with diamonds, with quarter repeater and alarm, made for retired colonel and famous travel writer Emanuel Baron von Korff
Case: 18k gold, enamel, diamonds. Dial: gilt, enamel, diamonds. Movm.: bridge movement, quality "Superieur", 2 hammers / 2 gongs, 2 barrels with tandem winding and 2 matted click on the top, screw compensation balance.
The surface of this extremely beautiful gold pocket watch is chased with a fine pattern on all sides. The back lid is decorated with an opaque white enamel Maltese cross and a translucent red enamel medallion with a diamond-studded gold fleur-de-lys, framed by a circle of diamonds. The bezel on the front reveals a motto under translucent red enamel; the writing on the bezel reads "Erfasse die Zeit - Nicht Thränen der Reue bringen eine Minute zurück die ungenützt entflohn" (seize the time - no tears of regret will bring back the wasted minutes). The centre of the dial is similarly embellished with the inscription "Emanuel von Korff, Berlin 1893" and an engraving of the two main elements of the family coat of arms - a mermaid holding a fleur-de-lys in her arms.
Emanuel Karl Heinrich von Schmysingk, known as Korff (born May 31, 1826 in Schönbruch, East Prussia, died February 5, 1903 in Rönnebeck, Altmark) was a Prussian commissioned officer and travel writer.
After training at the military schools at Culm and Berlin, Emanuel von Korff transferred to the Royal Prussian Cadet Corps and became an officer in 1847. After the Franco-Prussian war, Korff reached the peak of his career when he was appointed commander of the 15th Uhlan regiment at Strasbourg. In May 1894 Korff retired at the rank of major general.
His travels between 1895 and 1901 took him to America, Japan, China, India, Egypt, Greece, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America, the far north and Russia; Korff described his journeys in numerous diaries.
Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_von_Korff, as of 06/29/2017
In 1856, watchmaker to the royal court Johannes Hartmann acquired the watch shop D. Nèvir, which had been established by Névir’s father in Berlin, Unter den Linden 48/49 on October 1, 1763. Hartmann is mentioned in the records of the watchmakers‘ guild of Berlin as early as 1850; his company Johannes Hartmann vormals (formerly) D. Névir produced table clocks and pocket watches, some of them for scientific purposes. Johannes Hartmann vormals D. Névir was considered one of the finest shops in Berlin.
Source: https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Hartmann,_Johannes, as of 06/29/2017
Sold
estimated
5.000—15.000 €
Price realized
11.700 €