Exceptional Discoveries: The Olmsted Complications Collection
Victor Kullberg
An unusually small gold open-faced keyless pocket chronometer with up-and-down indication, No. 9678, Circa 1866
No reserve
Lot Closed
December 10, 06:12 PM GMT
Estimate
5,000 - 8,000 USD
We may charge or debit your saved payment method subject to the terms set out in our Conditions of Business for Buyers.
Read more.Lot Details
Description
Movement: spring detent escapement, Guillaume balance, blued steel helical hairspring, free sprung regulator, gilt three-quarter plate movement, bi-metallic compensation balance, the backplate signed 10 Gold Medals and 5 Diplomas of Honour Awarded. Victor Kullberg , 105 Liverpool Road , London, No. 9678
Dial: silvered dial, Roman numerals, subsidiary dials for constant seconds and 30-hour up-and-down indication, signed Kullberg, London
Case: 18k yellow gold, case stamped with London Hallmarks for 1866, and casemaker's initial FT for Fredrick Thoms, case back enameled with Talbot's head crest above the motto Labor Omnia Vinci, bow possibly added later
Signed: dial and movement signed Victor Kullberg
Diameter: 44 mm diameter
Victor Kullberg was born in Visby, on the island of Gotland, Sweden, and began his horological training in 1840 as an apprentice to a chronometer maker, receiving a rigorous and comprehensive education in the craft. His early skill quickly secured him a position in Copenhagen with the renowned Louis Urban Jürgensen.
In 1851, Kullberg visited the Great Exhibition in London and was deeply impressed by the quality of the timepieces on display. Shortly thereafter, he moved to London permanently and found employment with the city’s leading chronometer makers, specializing in marine and pocket chronometer escapements.
The industry was struck hard by the financial crisis of 1856, prompting Kullberg to shift strategy and engage directly with the consumer. He began producing stem-wind watches and chronometers under his own name, gaining recognition through public exhibitions and competitive trials.
His exceptional work earned him top accolades at the Royal Observatory and in chronometer trials. Kullberg was awarded medals at Besançon, the Paris Exposition, Havre, and the National Academy in Paris. He placed first in the prestigious Greenwich trials of 1872 and 1873. In recognition of his achievements, he was appointed chronometer maker to the courts of Sweden and Norway and was honored with the Order of Wasa.
The present timepiece stands as a lasting legacy of Kullberg’s distinguished career and enduring symbol of precision and international acclaim.