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The Makers' Makers |
Nicole, Nielsen & Co
Nicole & Capt and its successors were regular exhibitors at various International Shows that, post 1851, had become so popular. They won awards as far afield as Paris in 1855 and 1867, Philadelphia in 1876, Sydney in 1879, Fig 11, Melbourne in 1880 and Antwerp in 1894. This international exposure created new opportunities and their watches can be found signed for retailers from around the world including America, Australia, Fig 6, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
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Fig 12: Line engraving, from the Nicole, Nielsen & Co Ltd trade catalogue, of their post 1884 movement. Three-quarter plate movement now with the keyless work not visible. The movement is shown with a lever escapement which became the standard fitted by the firm after circa 1860. |
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Fig 13: Somewhat unusual is this watch by Nicole, Nielsen & Co that bears their own name, made even more unusual by the survival of the original leather covered box containing spare glass and mainspring. Gold openface case hallmarked 1887, casemaker EN (Emil Nielsen). 49 mm diameter. Post 1884, three-quarter plate lever movement. |
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By 1880 the business was being run by Emil Nielsen (as he was known) together with three of Adolphe’s children, one of whom, Harriet, had married Emil. Business was good, judging by the firm’s output, and they continued to innovate and improve, taking out a further significant patent, No 13,336, in 1884. This covered a method for indicating the state of wind of the watch on the dial as well as a new form of keyless work which moved the winding mechanism to between the plates. This heralded the end of Nicole’s distinctive keyless work and from 1884 it becomes much harder to distinguish their work from other English manufacturers. Fig 12.
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Fig 14: Line engraving of a case style called ‘dog-collar’ due to its flat band. Available in either openface or hunter this design of case became available around 1900, although surviving examples are uncommon. |
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Fig 15: Line engraving of one of the most expensive watches, Type 52, from the Nicole, Nielsen & Co Ltd trade catalogue. This watch, most likely a clockwatch, combines minute repeating, split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar, equation of time, moon phases, temperature and state of wind indications. No price is stated in the catalogue and it is doubtful if very many were made. |
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In December 1885 the partnership was dissolved, presumably because of the death of Adolphe Nicole, and in 1888 the firm was converted into a limited liability company under the title Nicole, Nielsen & Co Ltd. The main shareholders were the North Family and Harrison Mill Frodsham, the later was then owner of the London firm of Charles Frodsham.
From this point on Charles Frodsham was to become an increasingly important part of the story, retailing many of Nicole Nielsen’s more expensive watches. Nicole, Nielsen did, however, retain their independence with Robert Benson North taking over the position of Manager from the ailing Emil Nielsen in 1898. Emil died the next year and Robert North became Managing Director in 1900 and was elected Life Governing Director in 1910.
Understanding the firm’s output at this time is greatly helped by the rare survival of a trade catalogue of circa 1910, of which my reprint is now available. An added bonus is that it retains the original price list and it is most instructive to compare prices. Their standard, man’s size watch with no complications, was priced between £12 and £22 depending on the level of finish. Whereas a gold openface watch with tourbillon lever escapement was priced at £72. Today, such a watch would be a dream find for most collectors.
The watch with the highest price is a gold hunter cased ‘clockwatch’ (a watch that strikes the hours and quarters) with the added complications of perpetual calendar, minute repeater and split-seconds chronograph. It was priced at £240 - a considerable sum for the period and a strong indication that customers for such items were by no means common. Even more complicated watches are shown, Fig 15, but prices are not given. It states instead “prices on application”
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Fig 16: Nicole, Nielsen & Co also involved themselves with the beginnings of the wristwatch and are known to have supplied them to the London firm of Dent. This shows one of the few recorded examples of a wristwatch bearing their own name. Silver case hallmarked 1931. Well finished three-quarter plate movement with 19 jewels. 34 mm diameter. |
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Fig 17. Dial of a North & Sons Ltd car clock, circa 1920. |
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By the end of the century times were changing and the newly invented internal combustion engine was subject to worldwide interest and burgeoning development. The firm of Nicole, Nielsen was aware of the new opportunities and, by 1904, had begun to diversify into the new motor vehicle business. At the outbreak of the first world war they were manufacturing speedometers, taxi meters, magnetos and motor accessories from additional premises in Watford, Hertfordshire. In 1917 the company name was changed to North & Sons Ltd and, by 1922, had also begun to manufacture motor clocks - though it must be said not with movements of the same high quality as their watches. Figs 17 and 18.
As the 20th century advanced the firm was faced with accumulating problems. First came the war and the lack of suitably trained staff returning to work afterwards. This was followed by fundamental change in the industry bought about by the fashion for wearing wrist not pocket watches, and the subsequent emphasis on smaller movements. Fig 16. The coup-de-grace to their business, and that of many other watchmaking firms, was the Depression which affected the buying potential of their wealthy clients. Though they remained registered as watchmakers at 14 Soho Square until the end, they finally went into liquidation in 1933.
Not quite reaching their centenary, the firm started by Adolphe Nicole & Jules Capt, has left a wonderful legacy for today’s watch collectors, much of which, in real terms, is cheaper to buy now than when it was first sold.
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Fig 18: View of the movement and its lever escapement of the car clock in figure 17. As you can see, the best watchmaking traditions were left behind in the firm’s attempt to be a commercial success in this new venture. |
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David Penney
February 2002, Copyright |
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