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Lot 11
Jac.Hassenius. A late 17th century silver and tortoiseshell pair case pocket watchNo.289, Circa 1698
11 June 2013, 13:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£2,000 - £3,000
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Jac.Hassenius. A late 17th century silver and tortoiseshell pair case pocket watch
No.289, Circa 1698
Incomplete fusee verge movement numbered 289 with missing balance cock, steel 3-arm balance, tulip pillars, silver dial with black Roman numerals and outer Arabic five minute markers, original pierced blued steel tulip hands, polished and numbered silver case stamped IW for the eminent John Willoughby, outer tortoiseshell case with silver decorative pin work, dial and movement signed 54mm.
Incomplete fusee verge movement numbered 289 with missing balance cock, steel 3-arm balance, tulip pillars, silver dial with black Roman numerals and outer Arabic five minute markers, original pierced blued steel tulip hands, polished and numbered silver case stamped IW for the eminent John Willoughby, outer tortoiseshell case with silver decorative pin work, dial and movement signed 54mm.
Footnotes
Jacobus Hassenius, a Russian watchmaker, was made a Free Brother of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in January 1682/3. He paid quarterage until 1697 when it is thought that he returned to Russia. The fact that his departure was in the same year that Peter the Great visited London is unlikely to be a coincidence.
Primarily driven by his wish to build a navy, Peter studied shipbuilding in the Dutch shipyards before making his way to London where he stayed, close to the shipyards, in Sayes House, Deptford (belonging to the diarist John Evelyn). Also interested in scientific and technological development he visited the Royal Observatory at Greenwich and the Royal Society amongst others. He returned to Russia with some 60 master craftsmen from London, who reportedly found it very difficult to leave Russia in later years.
In 1698 Hassenius was granted a warrant "to permit James Hassenius to export to Muscovy for the use of his Imperial Majesty the Czar of Muscovy 13 clocks, 3 large or long clocks, a great table clock and some tools his Majesty bought in the Strand." Undoubtedly Hassenius' experience of working in London would have been highly valuable to the Tsar and Hassenius would have been obliged to return to his homeland.
On May 1st 1703 Peter the Great captured the Swedish fortress of Nyenskans on the banks of the Neva and on May 27th St. Petersburg was founded. Peter's ambition for Russia to become a naval power was fulfilled. The Russian Navy continued to receive English support throughout the 18th century.