File:American homes and gardens (1910) (17967995578).jpg

Title: American homes and gardens
Identifier: americanhomesgar71910newy (find matches)
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Architecture, Domestic; Landscape gardening
Publisher: New York : Munn and Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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July, 1910 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 277 and it was a hobby with some of them to own a peculiarly beautiful or original timepiece. Their tastes ran in different directions, some preferring decorations in which mythological or biblical subjects were portrayed, others historical pictures, others alle- gorical or purely ornamental designs, while still others, and their number was not as great, were satisfied later on with a comparatively plain case, but wanted works of elabo- rate finish, or embodying unique features, such as mechani- cal and musical attachments, striking and repeating works, calendar and astronomical movements, etc. It must be admitted that these ancient watches, however elaborate their housing, were not distinguished for accuracy as time- keepers, the first watches having only hour hands and no such escapement as we are familiar with. A goblin strik- ing against a hog-bristle, set vertically in the plate, caused the reciprocal movement by which the spring action was controlled. About 1660 the hair-spring, or balance-spring, as a means of regulation was invented simultaneously by Dr. Hooke and by Huyghens, to whom we owe the appli- cation of the pendulum to the control of the escapement. Until the commencement of the nineteenth century, all watches had the verge escapement, and this and other fea- tures of historical record, are depended upon by collectors and connoisseurs, in establishing the age of a watch. Thus chased watch cases were unknown until the beginning of the eighteenth century, and most of them came into vogue about 1750. Until about 1770, decoration in four-colored gold was not known. The period of the rock crystal case is from 1550 to 1650, and the finest of engraved and enamel decorated watches date from this period. Soon after this the minute hand was introduced, and it is found quite generally in watches dating from about 1700. About this time, too, the watches with pierced cases, showing deco- rations in foliage and animal figures, attained their greatest perfection. Handsome watches that can certainly be identi- fied as belonging to either of the above periods are valu- able, as are also really old watches, of the first cylindrical pattern, with iron works, and all that have really artistically decorated dials and cases, as well as all "egg" watches and watches with finely pierced or elaborately chased cases that show no wear. The egg watch was not the original form In which the pocket timepiece was made by the expert Nuremburg lock- smiths, but the "Nuremburg EI" was famous throughout Europe, when the watch was still a rarity. It was a skilled mechanic, Charles Cusin, who carried the art of watch- making to Geneva, and founded there the industry for which Switzerland Is pre-eminently famous. Quite a few of the specimens In the Marfels collection are of this egg shape and they are all artistically and very elaborately decorated. When, towards the close of the eighteenth century, the watch disappeared altogether Into the pocket, except for the few dainty specimens worn as chatelaines, lockets, etc., the case lost its Importance as a work of art and became a plain box, usually of gold or silver, and sometimes elabo- rately chased, but no matter how costly, only a housing for the works, which have advanced In accuracy and precision of performance as the case has become plain and simple. A few years ago the fashion of wearing a watch pinned to the corsage was started among women. This naturally brought about a temporary revival of the artistic in watch cases and some beautiful specimens In enamel and jewelled work were to be seen. But the fashion has died out, the at- traction the display. In so easily accessible a place, of an ex- pensive trinket had for the light-fingered fraternity, having contributed to its discouragement. In the precision of Its performance, however, the modern watch altogether sur- passes Its more richly encased predecessor, although, when attention was first bestowed more particularly on the works. some of the more conspicuous parts were often elaborately and curiously wrought. The balance cock and the dials and hands were especially selected for this decorative work, and often an Immense amount of skill and labor were ex- pended on their ornamentation. In considering the performance of the old-time watch, moreover. It must not be forgotten that everything had to be fashioned by hand; that such a thing as division of labor and interchangeabllity of parts, which have been brought to so high a degree of perfection, especially in the Ameri- can watch factories of to-day, were entirely unknown when the watches In the Morgan collection were made. Every part had to be made by hand, after elaborate calculations, and a watchmaker, at that time, was a scientist as well as a skilled mechanic.
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21—Hold enameled watch, repeater, translucent enatnel; I>on;lon, 1790. 22—Cold enameled watch, repeater, blue translucent enamel; London. 1790. 2!—Gold enameled watch, flower inlaid: Paris, 18 Centur>-. 24 Gold repeater, pierced work and diamond decoration; l.ondon, 18 Century. 25—Gold open work repeater, agate mounted and precious stones studding; Loiulon, 18 Century. 26—Gold enameled watch, repeater, enameled and diamond studded; I^ui(<iu, 1700. 29—Gold enameled watch, set with rubies and pearls in iridescent erjamel; Jaquct Uroz, 1800. SO—Gold enameled watch, translucent enamel and pearl studdinir; 1790. 31—Watch in zray aeate case, chased; London. 1750. 32—Gold enameled watch, blue translucent enamel framing, female portrait; London, 1780. I

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