The Longitude at the Eve of the Third...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 23, 1999

LOT 142

Charles Frodsham, 84 Strand, London, AD.FMSZ,No. 06643, with London hallmarks for 1883-1884.Fine 18K gold hunting cased keyless watch with chronograph and 60 minutes progressive recorder.

CHF 13,000 - 15,000

C. Four body massive "bassine", polished, by Harrison Mill Frodsham (Master mark), the cover engraved with a crest and the motto: Strenue Percutio. Hinged gold cuvette. D. White enamel, canister type, by Willis, Roman numerals, outer Arabic minute ring with chronograph divisions, sunk subsidiary secondsat 9 and minute register at 3. Blued-steel spade hands. M. 20''' frosted and gilt three-quarter plate, 18 jewels, screwed main settings, pointed tooth lateral lever escapement with gold counterpoised screw, cut bimetallic balance, blued-steel, balance spring with terminal curve. Chronograph with push-piece in the band.Signed on the dial and back plate.Diam. 59 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: * 3
Dial: 4 - 13 - 01

Notes

As for most of the best quality watches signed by Charles Frodsham, the movement of this watch was produced by Nicole Nielsen, the finest English watchmaker of his day.Nicole NielsenPerhaps the leading manufacturers of complicated watches in late 19th century London, Nicole Nielsen made watches and carriage clocks both for leading makers such as Frodsham but also marketed under ttheir own name. The firm originated in 1840 when Adolphe Nicole, a partner in the firm of Nicole & Capt, Geneva, decided to settle in London where he ran a branch of the firm at 80b Dean Street. In 1844 he took out patent no 10348 for keyless winding and a form of chronograph.From 1858 the firm was at 14 Soho Square where it remained for the next 75 years. In 1862 Nicole patented his chronograph stop system which incorporated a fly-back mechanism and in 1876 the place of the reccently deceased Jules Capt was taken by Sophus Emil Nielsen who in 1884 patented an 'up and down' mechanism. In 1888 the firm was purchased by R.B. North, Nielsen being retained as joint managing director with Harrison Mill Frodsham. In 1888 the firm became Nicole Nielsen & Co. In 1903 North otained a patent for 'revolving escapements' and son afterwards the firm produced a short series of grande sonnerie carriage clocks fitted with tourbillon escapements. From 1904 onwards the firm began to manufacture speedometers at first seeling the utput to S. Smith & Co, later to Frodsham. In 1917 the name of the firm was changed to North & Sons Ltd, continuing in business until 1933.Literature:Vaudrey Mercer, The Frodshams, the story of a family of Chronometer Makers, London, 1981, pp. 198-204.