A late 19th century English gilt brass carriage timepiece Jenner & Knewstub 33 St. James's St. &...
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Description
A late 19th century English gilt brass carriage timepiece
Jenner & Knewstub 33 St. James's St. & 66 Jermyn St.
Surmounted by a facetted floral handle and knurled finials over a stepped cornice and reeded uprights between solid side panels and a signed hinged rear door with spring catch. The engraved silvered Roman dial with elaborate floral scroll surround and fine blued steel moon hands.
The single chain fusee movement with four ringed pillars and large underslung, jewelled English lever escapement with three-arm monometallic balance. Ticking with a small, brass winding key. 13.5cms (5ins) high
Footnotes:
Frederick Jenner and Fabian Knewstub entered into partnership around 1856, working out of 33 St. James Street, London. They specialised in making dressing cases, though they also offered clocks, toilette cases, wallets, etc. Additionally, they offered a range of silver and gold smithing objects and services, including gem engraving.
Fredrick Jenner was born around 1823 in Beddingham, Sussex. At some point he moved to Newington in Surrey, where he married Charlotte Theakston Chaffey in 1849, who was 8 years his junior. It is unknown how he was employed, as he is not listed in relevant trade directories. Based on later records, it is tentatively suggested he was a stationer. The couple had a child, Frederick, around 1851, followed less then two years later with another child, George, and then another, Robert, in 1855. By this point, it seems likely that the growing Jenner family had moved to London, as Jenner and Knewstub went into partnership in 1856.
Fabian James Knewstub was born in Kent around 1825/26 to William and Susan Knewstub. He had seven siblings, including Elizabeth, who may have been his fraternal twin, based on birth date. Fabian and Elizabeth were the eldest of the siblings. It is unclear when Fabian moved to London; based on later records it appears he was a trained jeweller, though the nature and location of his apprenticeship remain unclear. He was certainly in London by 1856, when he entered into partnership with Frederick Jenner.
Two years after the formation of the partnership, the pair began advertising a selection of bags for sale, as well as the ability to engrave monograms on the bags. That same year, Knewstub and his partner Susan Dines, six years his junior and originally from Essex, had their first child, Harry, followed in 1860 by Walter. Oddly, the 1861 census records Fabian living as a boarder with his younger brother Walter, in 15, Kensington Square, Kensington, Middlesex. There is no mention of Susan, Harry, or baby Walter. Why this should be the case remains unclear.
At the International Exhibition of 1862, Jenner and Knewstub exhibited in several categories, receiving two medals for their leather craft and were noted as 'exhibitors of very superior work'. That year, Annie Jenner was born, followed the next year by Edward Jenner and Frank Knewstub. 1863 also saw the partnership expand to operate from both 33 St. James Street and nearby 66 Jermyn Street, suggesting they must have been doing well at this time.
The following year, the partnership expanded again, to 69 Jermyn Street. Jenner also took a patent out that year, for an invention which provided 'Improvements in purses, cigar cases, bags and other similar receptacles'. Unfortunately, the exact nature of the device is unknown.
In 1865, Jenner's youngest child, Frederica, was born. George Knewstub was born the following year. An interesting notice was taken out in 1866, advertising the fact that Jenner and Knewstub were selling off their entire stock, 'prior to enlarging their premises'. The advertisement details what stock they have: 'Dressing cases, Travelling bags, cutlery, despatch boxes, albums, photographs, envelope cases, jewellery, elegancies in mounted china, or-moulu, gold, silver, enamel, etc.'. The stock offered seems fairly evenly split between jewellery/metal work and stationary goods, tentatively suggested as representative of Knewstub's and Jenner's skills, respectively.
However, the presumed revenue they accrued from this sale doesn't appear to have been spent on new premises; contrarily they appear to have downsized, occupying only 33 St. James Street and 66 Jermyn Street. They did, however, present a new, patented writing case (the Elgin Writing Case) and dispatch box (the ABC Dispatch Box) to the 1867 Paris Exposition, for which they received an award. Both the writing case and dispatch box were very warmly reviewed by the literary establishments of the day, including Punch and the Times. Shortly after, in 1869, Bessie Knewstub was born, followed less then two years later by the youngest Knewstub, Ethel. Around this time, a patented 'Jewel Case' was also added to the firm's celebrated products.
The census of 1871 recorded Fabian and Susan Knewstub, and their six children, living in Peterborough Villas, Middlesex. Frederick, described as a stationer, and Charlotte Jenner, and their six children, were living in St. James Street, possibly above the shop, though this is not certain.
By this point, Jenner and Knewstub were describing themselves as 'Dressing case and Travelling Bag makers' as well as 'Jewellers, Goldsmiths, Silversmiths, Designers, Heraldic and Gem engravers'. Not only did they employ 45 people between the two shops, they appear to have received royal patronage, advertising as makers to 'the Queen, the Royal Family and Principal Courts of Europe'. They also had a new form of keyless work, in their patented 'Eunomia watch' which boasted that their 'improved keyless action cannot be overwound', the watch also contained a 'perfectly safe mainspring' and was described by the Times as 'a perfect timekeeper'. Unfortunately, no further details can be found about the exact nature of the keyless works.
The firm exhibited in the 1878 Paris Exposition, seemingly in quite a few sections, including clocks and watches. The British Horological Institute's correspondent at the expo was bracingly dismissive of the partnership, describing them as 'Jenner and Knewstub, the extensive advertisers of the 'Bag of Bags,' also exhibit clocks and watches, perhaps very good ones, too, though we did not trouble to examine them. The man who invents or improves can never be content to be classed with the one who is only a tradesman. It is a pity that the latter cannot be penetrated with a sufficient sense of the fitness of things to confine himself to the shop and the bazaar.' Despite this dismissal, the firm received an honourable mention for their jewellery exhibit and a silver medal for their stationary exhibit.
Less then two years later, the firm took out a design patent for a metal purse. The census of 1881 lists the Knewstubs living at 20, St George Square, Pancras, London and Fabian himself as a publisher of books. Interestingly, in 1884, the firm fulfilled another royal contract, this time for Empress Eugénie of France. The contract was for the manufacture of an ebony and silver mounted book, with vellum pages containing the names of all the subscribers to a memorial established for the late Prince Imperial, her only son. The book was 'made in ebony, with silver mounts, with a raised carved silver 'N' and Imperial Crown in the centre, and raised silver eagle at each corner'. The book was commissioned by the Prince of Wales, and Jenner and Knewstub were publicly lauded in French newspapers as the makers of the book.
Despite these successes, in 1887, the partnership began advertising a sale of their entire stock at much reduced prices. There are conflicting reports of the liquidation of the business and dissolving of the partnership between 1886-1889; their 'great sale' was advertised between July-September of 1887. However, as late as May 1890, the partnership was advertising their premises at 33 St. James Street and 66 Jermyn Street, though now under the name 'Jenner & Knewstub, Limited, To the Queen and Principal Courts of Europe'. Interestingly, the year after, Jenner and Knewstub were advertising at 60 Piccadilly. The census for 1891, however, records Knewstub and his family living at 40, Dorothy Rd, Battersea, whereas the Jenners are recorded living at Reading Rd., The Homestead, in Henley, Oxfordshire. Frederick Jenner is noted as a retired stationer. This opens up the possibility that Knewstub continued the business after Jenner's retirement, though it is also possible that they sold the business, and the use of their names, at the height of their acclaim. All mention of 'Jenner and Knewstub' is gone from the trade directories around 1895.
A tentative date of death for Knewstub is given as 1913, though this has not been confirmed. Likewise, it is suggested that Jenner died around 1907 in Sussex, though again this is not confirmed. As far as could be determined, none of Jenner's or Knewstub's children became horologists or jewellers.
National Archives (1880) Ornamental Design Patent: Jenner & Knewstub. Reference: BT 43/48/358164
National Archives (1872) Ornamental Design Patent: Jenner & Knewstub. Reference: BT 44/31/267853.
Woodcroft, B. (1865) Chronological Index of Patents Applied for and Patents Granted, for the year 1864. London: George Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode.
(1873) Llangollen Advertiser Denbighshire Merionethshire and North Wales Journal, Vol. 14, No. 679.
Campbell, J (1864) The Spectator, Volume 37. London: John Campbell.
Halliburton, W. W. (1868) County directory of Scotland 1868. Edinburgh: R. Grant & Son.
Rootspoint (2023) UK Census 1841-1891. Available at: https://www.rootspoint.com/
Williams, J. (1864) Williams's Manufacturers Directory for London and the Principal Towns in England. London: J. Williams.
Smith, W. G. (1866, and 1869) Notes and Queries: A Medium of Inter-Communication for Literary Men, General Readers, etc.. London: William Greig Smith.
Society of Arts (1863) International Exhibition 1862: Reports by the Juries. London: William Clowes & Sons.
Leighton, G. C. (1872) The Illustrated London News. London: George C. Leighton.
British Horological Institute (1878) 'The Paris Exhibition, 1878', The Horological Journal, Vol. 21 (1), pg. 8.
Thomas, W. (1858) The Court Journal and Fashionable Gazette. London: William Thomas.
Free UK Genealogy (2022) FreeBMD. Available at: https://www.freebmd.org.uk/
Dixon, W. H, (1863) The Athenaeum Journal of Literature, Science, and the Fine Arts. London: John Francis
Free UK Genealogy (2022) FreeCEN. Available at: https://www.freecen.org.uk/
Family Search (2023) Fredrick Jenner + Fabian Knewstub.
Bibliothèque Nationale De France (2023) Knewstub. Available at: https://www.bnf.fr/fr
The Furniture History Society (2023) Jenner & Knewstub. Available at: https://bifmo.furniturehistorysociety.org/entry/jenner-knewstub-1886
Lucian, D. (2023) Antique Box Guide: Jenner & Knewstub. Available at: http://www.antiquebox.org/jenner-and-knewstub/
University of Leicester (2022) Historical Directories of England & Wales: London 1808-1915. Available at: https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/search/searchterm/London/field/place/mode/exact/conn/and/order/nosort
For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Jenner & Knewstub 33 St. James's St. & 66 Jermyn St.
Surmounted by a facetted floral handle and knurled finials over a stepped cornice and reeded uprights between solid side panels and a signed hinged rear door with spring catch. The engraved silvered Roman dial with elaborate floral scroll surround and fine blued steel moon hands.
The single chain fusee movement with four ringed pillars and large underslung, jewelled English lever escapement with three-arm monometallic balance. Ticking with a small, brass winding key. 13.5cms (5ins) high
Footnotes:
Frederick Jenner and Fabian Knewstub entered into partnership around 1856, working out of 33 St. James Street, London. They specialised in making dressing cases, though they also offered clocks, toilette cases, wallets, etc. Additionally, they offered a range of silver and gold smithing objects and services, including gem engraving.
Fredrick Jenner was born around 1823 in Beddingham, Sussex. At some point he moved to Newington in Surrey, where he married Charlotte Theakston Chaffey in 1849, who was 8 years his junior. It is unknown how he was employed, as he is not listed in relevant trade directories. Based on later records, it is tentatively suggested he was a stationer. The couple had a child, Frederick, around 1851, followed less then two years later with another child, George, and then another, Robert, in 1855. By this point, it seems likely that the growing Jenner family had moved to London, as Jenner and Knewstub went into partnership in 1856.
Fabian James Knewstub was born in Kent around 1825/26 to William and Susan Knewstub. He had seven siblings, including Elizabeth, who may have been his fraternal twin, based on birth date. Fabian and Elizabeth were the eldest of the siblings. It is unclear when Fabian moved to London; based on later records it appears he was a trained jeweller, though the nature and location of his apprenticeship remain unclear. He was certainly in London by 1856, when he entered into partnership with Frederick Jenner.
Two years after the formation of the partnership, the pair began advertising a selection of bags for sale, as well as the ability to engrave monograms on the bags. That same year, Knewstub and his partner Susan Dines, six years his junior and originally from Essex, had their first child, Harry, followed in 1860 by Walter. Oddly, the 1861 census records Fabian living as a boarder with his younger brother Walter, in 15, Kensington Square, Kensington, Middlesex. There is no mention of Susan, Harry, or baby Walter. Why this should be the case remains unclear.
At the International Exhibition of 1862, Jenner and Knewstub exhibited in several categories, receiving two medals for their leather craft and were noted as 'exhibitors of very superior work'. That year, Annie Jenner was born, followed the next year by Edward Jenner and Frank Knewstub. 1863 also saw the partnership expand to operate from both 33 St. James Street and nearby 66 Jermyn Street, suggesting they must have been doing well at this time.
The following year, the partnership expanded again, to 69 Jermyn Street. Jenner also took a patent out that year, for an invention which provided 'Improvements in purses, cigar cases, bags and other similar receptacles'. Unfortunately, the exact nature of the device is unknown.
In 1865, Jenner's youngest child, Frederica, was born. George Knewstub was born the following year. An interesting notice was taken out in 1866, advertising the fact that Jenner and Knewstub were selling off their entire stock, 'prior to enlarging their premises'. The advertisement details what stock they have: 'Dressing cases, Travelling bags, cutlery, despatch boxes, albums, photographs, envelope cases, jewellery, elegancies in mounted china, or-moulu, gold, silver, enamel, etc.'. The stock offered seems fairly evenly split between jewellery/metal work and stationary goods, tentatively suggested as representative of Knewstub's and Jenner's skills, respectively.
However, the presumed revenue they accrued from this sale doesn't appear to have been spent on new premises; contrarily they appear to have downsized, occupying only 33 St. James Street and 66 Jermyn Street. They did, however, present a new, patented writing case (the Elgin Writing Case) and dispatch box (the ABC Dispatch Box) to the 1867 Paris Exposition, for which they received an award. Both the writing case and dispatch box were very warmly reviewed by the literary establishments of the day, including Punch and the Times. Shortly after, in 1869, Bessie Knewstub was born, followed less then two years later by the youngest Knewstub, Ethel. Around this time, a patented 'Jewel Case' was also added to the firm's celebrated products.
The census of 1871 recorded Fabian and Susan Knewstub, and their six children, living in Peterborough Villas, Middlesex. Frederick, described as a stationer, and Charlotte Jenner, and their six children, were living in St. James Street, possibly above the shop, though this is not certain.
By this point, Jenner and Knewstub were describing themselves as 'Dressing case and Travelling Bag makers' as well as 'Jewellers, Goldsmiths, Silversmiths, Designers, Heraldic and Gem engravers'. Not only did they employ 45 people between the two shops, they appear to have received royal patronage, advertising as makers to 'the Queen, the Royal Family and Principal Courts of Europe'. They also had a new form of keyless work, in their patented 'Eunomia watch' which boasted that their 'improved keyless action cannot be overwound', the watch also contained a 'perfectly safe mainspring' and was described by the Times as 'a perfect timekeeper'. Unfortunately, no further details can be found about the exact nature of the keyless works.
The firm exhibited in the 1878 Paris Exposition, seemingly in quite a few sections, including clocks and watches. The British Horological Institute's correspondent at the expo was bracingly dismissive of the partnership, describing them as 'Jenner and Knewstub, the extensive advertisers of the 'Bag of Bags,' also exhibit clocks and watches, perhaps very good ones, too, though we did not trouble to examine them. The man who invents or improves can never be content to be classed with the one who is only a tradesman. It is a pity that the latter cannot be penetrated with a sufficient sense of the fitness of things to confine himself to the shop and the bazaar.' Despite this dismissal, the firm received an honourable mention for their jewellery exhibit and a silver medal for their stationary exhibit.
Less then two years later, the firm took out a design patent for a metal purse. The census of 1881 lists the Knewstubs living at 20, St George Square, Pancras, London and Fabian himself as a publisher of books. Interestingly, in 1884, the firm fulfilled another royal contract, this time for Empress Eugénie of France. The contract was for the manufacture of an ebony and silver mounted book, with vellum pages containing the names of all the subscribers to a memorial established for the late Prince Imperial, her only son. The book was 'made in ebony, with silver mounts, with a raised carved silver 'N' and Imperial Crown in the centre, and raised silver eagle at each corner'. The book was commissioned by the Prince of Wales, and Jenner and Knewstub were publicly lauded in French newspapers as the makers of the book.
Despite these successes, in 1887, the partnership began advertising a sale of their entire stock at much reduced prices. There are conflicting reports of the liquidation of the business and dissolving of the partnership between 1886-1889; their 'great sale' was advertised between July-September of 1887. However, as late as May 1890, the partnership was advertising their premises at 33 St. James Street and 66 Jermyn Street, though now under the name 'Jenner & Knewstub, Limited, To the Queen and Principal Courts of Europe'. Interestingly, the year after, Jenner and Knewstub were advertising at 60 Piccadilly. The census for 1891, however, records Knewstub and his family living at 40, Dorothy Rd, Battersea, whereas the Jenners are recorded living at Reading Rd., The Homestead, in Henley, Oxfordshire. Frederick Jenner is noted as a retired stationer. This opens up the possibility that Knewstub continued the business after Jenner's retirement, though it is also possible that they sold the business, and the use of their names, at the height of their acclaim. All mention of 'Jenner and Knewstub' is gone from the trade directories around 1895.
A tentative date of death for Knewstub is given as 1913, though this has not been confirmed. Likewise, it is suggested that Jenner died around 1907 in Sussex, though again this is not confirmed. As far as could be determined, none of Jenner's or Knewstub's children became horologists or jewellers.
National Archives (1880) Ornamental Design Patent: Jenner & Knewstub. Reference: BT 43/48/358164
National Archives (1872) Ornamental Design Patent: Jenner & Knewstub. Reference: BT 44/31/267853.
Woodcroft, B. (1865) Chronological Index of Patents Applied for and Patents Granted, for the year 1864. London: George Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode.
(1873) Llangollen Advertiser Denbighshire Merionethshire and North Wales Journal, Vol. 14, No. 679.
Campbell, J (1864) The Spectator, Volume 37. London: John Campbell.
Halliburton, W. W. (1868) County directory of Scotland 1868. Edinburgh: R. Grant & Son.
Rootspoint (2023) UK Census 1841-1891. Available at: https://www.rootspoint.com/
Williams, J. (1864) Williams's Manufacturers Directory for London and the Principal Towns in England. London: J. Williams.
Smith, W. G. (1866, and 1869) Notes and Queries: A Medium of Inter-Communication for Literary Men, General Readers, etc.. London: William Greig Smith.
Society of Arts (1863) International Exhibition 1862: Reports by the Juries. London: William Clowes & Sons.
Leighton, G. C. (1872) The Illustrated London News. London: George C. Leighton.
British Horological Institute (1878) 'The Paris Exhibition, 1878', The Horological Journal, Vol. 21 (1), pg. 8.
Thomas, W. (1858) The Court Journal and Fashionable Gazette. London: William Thomas.
Free UK Genealogy (2022) FreeBMD. Available at: https://www.freebmd.org.uk/
Dixon, W. H, (1863) The Athenaeum Journal of Literature, Science, and the Fine Arts. London: John Francis
Free UK Genealogy (2022) FreeCEN. Available at: https://www.freecen.org.uk/
Family Search (2023) Fredrick Jenner + Fabian Knewstub.
Bibliothèque Nationale De France (2023) Knewstub. Available at: https://www.bnf.fr/fr
The Furniture History Society (2023) Jenner & Knewstub. Available at: https://bifmo.furniturehistorysociety.org/entry/jenner-knewstub-1886
Lucian, D. (2023) Antique Box Guide: Jenner & Knewstub. Available at: http://www.antiquebox.org/jenner-and-knewstub/
University of Leicester (2022) Historical Directories of England & Wales: London 1808-1915. Available at: https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/search/searchterm/London/field/place/mode/exact/conn/and/order/nosort
For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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A late 19th century English gilt brass carriage timepiece Jenner & Knewstub 33 St. James's St. &...
Estimate £700 - £1,000
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