Exceptional Discoveries: The Olmsted Complications Collection
W. Ludolph G.m.b.H, Bremerhaven
A two-day boxed marine chronometer, No. 343, Circa Early 20th Century, Made in England, Returned to Germany
No reserve
Lot Closed
December 10, 05:41 PM GMT
Estimate
3,000 - 4,000 USD
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Read more.Lot Details
Description
Movement: spring detent escapement, bi-metallic compensation balance, blued steel helical hairspring, free-sprung regulator, fusee and chain, unsigned
Dial: silvered dial, Roman numeral, subsidiary dials for constant seconds and up-and-down indication for 56-hours, signed W. Ludolph G.m.b.H Bremerhaven, 343
Case: two-tier mahogany box fitted with lacquered brass handles, top lid features a lacquered blank cartouche, winding hole shutter on the lower side of the gimbal mount, retailer label on top lid interior, top lids with removable pin hinges
Diameter of Dial: 10.16 cm
Accessories: accompanied by box key
Tony Mercer, Chronometer Makers Of The World, p. 193
W. Ludolph G.m.b.H was a distinguished German manufacturer of nautical and aeronautical instruments. Established in 1846 by W. Ihlder, the firm was renamed W. Ludolph Nautisches Institut in 1867 and became a G.m.b.H in 1908.
Ludolph was the first European company to challenge the British monopoly on nautical instruments. In 1906, it expanded into aeronautical production, becoming the first German firm to manufacture compasses for Zeppelin airships. According to Tony Mercer, W. Ludolph operated in Bremerhaven between 1913 and 1933.