Return to Gallery of SOLD Clocks.
image
Clock No. 383 - Lenzkirch Precision Regulator with center- sweep second and 6 jewels, of 8 duration, with dial marked “Bore & Berger, Magdeburg”


Clock No. 383
Purchase Price SOLD
Weights 1
Length 58 inches
Wall Stabilizers None originally
Case Condition 1
Winding Key Original, very nice
Mechanism Beautiful, runs great
Mechanism Mount Massive Brass Bracket with thumb screws
Beat Scale Original
Pendulum Brass backed, lead filled
 

Clock 383

Beat Scale

Crutch Slot

Dial

Escution

Jewels
 

Mechanism

Mechanism Mount

Pallet

Rating Nut Pointer and Scale

Signature
 


 


Arguably one of the finest mechanisms ever made by Lenzkirch!!!

Uhrenfabrik Lenzkirch was founded in 1851 in the village of Lenzkirch in Baden, not far from the Swiss border. Later other factories sprang up, particularly in the area around Frutwangen. The Lenzkirch factories made arguably the best of the German clocks. Lenzkirch was founded by Eduard Hauser who was trained in France and Switzerland. The influence of his French training is clearly visible in the quality of his work. The mechanism in this clock is serial numbered 832418 and has the classical Lenzkirch “1 Million” trademark, acknowledging the production of over a million mechanisms.

The authoritative tome - “Lenzkircher Uhren. 1851-2001 (150 Jahre). Aus der Geschichte einer bemerkenswerten Uhrmacherzeit” provides a table of serial numbers suggesting this piece was made circa 1915. The book also has a photo of the same dial, hands, and pulley in a floor-standing precision regulator case.

A trademark for the firm of Bore & Berger is listed in Kochmann as being registered in 1887. Kochmann further identifies the firm as dealing in pocket watches. Magdeburg in a town in north-central Germany, roughly a third of the way from Berlin to Frankfurt.

This precision regulator boasts adjustable jeweled pallets, jeweled pivots to the first two arbors, very thick mechanism plates, knurled thumb-screws holding the plates together, massive shelf brackets with knurled thumb screws to lock the mechanism in place, an adjustable crutch slot in pendulum (to exactly match the crutch pin - minimize energy loss between the mechanism and the pendulum rod), a 12-pound bob, 4-pound weight, and one of the largest pendulum bob adjustment nuts I have seen (1.25 inches in diameter) with a perfect little blued indicator to track changes in the adjustment of the pendulum rating nut.

Note too that the bob and weight, though tarnished, are in excellent condition with no apparent dings. Please plan to add $40 to the purchase price if you would like to have these polished out and lacquered before receiving the clock. This clock also comes with an original winding key - a wonderful find and so very nice with a clock of this quality.

The case, in a dark-honey colored oak, is in very nice condition with minor veneer chips to the very bottom of the base. Both doors have key locks, both use the same, original key, and both work. And, both door locks have the same escution plates! The glass, with the exception of the top door, all appears to be original and wavy.

This clock is in very nice condition - I would think it would be a Lenzkirch-collectors dream, or, for those with no Lenzkirch in their collection, you won’t find a more accurate example, nor one with a finer mechanism.

Caveats: None.


image
image