Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Born about 1700, Died 1768
Clockmaker
German
In the 1700s people everywhere marveled at the musical clocks of Michel Stollenwerck. After his death, one of his contemporaries remarked that Stollenwerck's products "can be transported into the remotest lands, will complete the taming of barbarian Nations, who have already been filled with admiration upon seeing [his] productions...." The writer continued with proof: "Some [clocks] by Stollenwerck transported to China, Mongolia, Turkey, and amongst the Hurons, have enchanted the sovereigns of these vast countries."
Born in Germany, Stollenwerck settled in Paris around 1730. He was a relatively wealthy man, living near the Place Dauphine, a quarter of Paris where only the most fashionable craftsmen were found. He sold most of his products himself, a fairly unusual occurrence at a time when wealthy patrons preferred to purchase their goods from merchants such as the marchands-merciers rather than from the actual craftsmen. His clientele included rich aristocrats and connoisseurs of fine mechanical pieces.
Although Stollenwerck made clocks and watches with traditional movements, he specialized in highly technical mechanisms for clocks that showed the movements of the planets or had musical chimes and planispheres.
Posted by Jamie Stollenwerck
¶ 11:03 AM
