16
15 1
2
19
18 4
22
8
9
348 – 349 Drawings and imprints of coats-of-arms of various noble families, to be reproduced on Gessner’s watch cases (see text for arms according to rank).
150
21
11
10
12
20
6
5
7
17
3
13 14
only be identified b y referring to his pattern book. His ar morial engravings ar e really special (Ill. 348, 349). A coat of ar ms consists of many elements with the escutcheon or shield as the centr epiece. The shape of the shield indicates the age of the family: the late-gothic thr ee-cornered shield surmounted by a helmet (Fig. 21) gave way to the half-r ounded shield in 1380 (Fig. 24). In the 14th century, the tartsche, or jousting shield, appeared (Figs 3,19), and finally escutcheons in the baroque style (Figs 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 18, 23). The escutcheon is mostly surmounted by a helmet (Figs. 6, 8, 12 & 24 are crested helmets). The mantling on either side of the helmet is for decoration. The rank is sometimes indicated by a coronet on the helmet (Figs 2, 6, 11, 20, 22, 24) or by supporters in the for m of animals — the fiercer the beast, the mightier the nob le house (Figs 1, 2, 6, 19, 24).
23
Another of Gessner’ s specialities w as the engraving of “dedications and names” on the caseback (Ill. 350, mirror-images) with a variety of floral decorations. The inscr iptions include the name of the compan y (Assmann, Figs 8,10,11) or the o wners of the w atch (W ilkens & Danger , Figs 4,12), often accompanied by such technical details of the mo vement as the n umber of je wels (Figs 5, 8, 9, 10, 11), the type of balance (Figs 5, 9) and escapement (Figs 8, 9, 10, 11). The movement n umber w as also eng raved on the caseback (Figs 8, 11, 12). Gessner also ex ecuted a n umber of special eng ravings for the Horological School (Fig. 3), and if the student was from Britain the inscription appeared in English (Fig. 1). One of his jobs was the decoration and inscription of the escapement models that the DUS students had to make during their apprenticeship.
24
350 Glossy-paper rubbings of dust-cover engravings by Gessner for the watchmaking school, for private individuals and local watchmakers (see text). 컄