SIGNED RENTZSCH, LONDON, INVT ET FECIT, STAMPED WITH LONDON DATE LETTER FOR 1816

Sigismund Rentzsch is recorded as working in St. James's Square, London 1813-1842, watchmaker to the King and Royal Family. A clever mechanician, Rentzsch made distinctive clocks and watches. The early form of keyless winding, the hand setting and the novel repeating mechanism on this watch all indicate a highly individual approach to watch making. Research shows just 5 watches with these complications by Rentzsch; 1) the present lot, 2) in the Ilbert Collection, British Museum London, 3) The English Watch 1585-1970 by T. Camerer Cuss, ACC 2009, pages 388-389, 4) Antiquarian Horology, December 1966, subsequently sold at Antiquorum Geneva, lot 162, 21 Oct 1995, and 5) sold at Antiquorum Geneva, lot 106, 18 Oct 1992.