Victor Kullberg, London c1910

A good 2-day marine chronometer by Victor Kullberg, housed in its original 3-tier mahogany box, and signed on the silvered 4-inch diameter dial Victor Kullberg, Maker to the Admiralty, the Indian and Italian Governments. 105 Liverpool Rd London N. 8205.

Victor Kullberg, one of the Victorian periods most outstanding chronometer makers, worked in London from 1851 until he died in1890, the business was continued after his death by his nephew Peter John Winnerstrom.

Kullberg’s entered this chronometer in the 1912 Greenwich trials where it came 7th and was purchased by the Admiralty on 1 April 1912 for £48.00.

The chronometer remained in Government service until it was sold by the Ministry of Defence on 18 October 1983.

The chronometer was sent to the Hong Kong depot in June 1913 and returned to Greenwich in August 1917 from HMS Huntress. Huntress was the new name given to German merchant vessel captured in 1914 by HMS Swift. After cleaning and rating by Kullberg it was then issued to HMS Tuberose.

HMS Tuberose was built by Swan Hunter and commissioned on 10 December 1917. This chronometer was issued to the Tuberose on 31 December 1917. HMS Tuberose was an escort sloop disguised as a merchant vessel and accompanied convoys, acting as a submarine decoy vessel or ‘Q-Ship’ as they came to be known. The ship was equipped with guns and depth charge throwers. Tuberose was sold in January 1923 to the Unity Shipbreaking Company, based at Plymouth and broken up.

The chronometer’s subsequent history was to be sent to several depots then finally in 1931 it was sent to the Royal Signal School, Portsmouth.

The dial has two engraved logos – to H. M. the King of Sweden and Grand Prix Paris 1900.

Within the seconds dial is engraved Ten Gold Medals Awarded * Diploma of Honor, Sole and Highest Award, Vienna *.

The chronometer has blued steel hour and minute hands and subsidiary dials for seconds and state of wind; the bezel, with silvered sight ring, has bevelled glass.

The chronometer movement has a reverse fusee, spring detent escapement and a Kullberg split rim compensation balance with a palladium (?) balance spring.

The back of the movement is expertly spotted and the movement plates are numbered 8205, the top plate is engraved with the broad arrow mark. The serial number 8205 is repeated on the inside of the bowl and on the original winding key.

The mahogany 3-tier box has a brass plaque to the lid and the middle tier has a (later) label engraved with the broad arrow mark and Victor Kullberg Two Days 8205.

The box measures 7¼ x 7¼ x 7½ inches high.

THIS ITEM HAS BEEN SOLD

Stock No. C1140