Vintage
Tick Talk shares a fascinating historical document: a letter from Charles-François Chossat to Jacques Barthélémy Vacheron, dated May 4th, 1817. This post offers a rare glimpse into the early days of Vacheron Constantin, connecting modern collectors to the brand's foundational history through tangible artifacts.
A collector may be described as one who accumulates objects along a theme, although I cannot disagree with the definition attributed to that famous British art historian, Sir Kenneth Clark, who opined; “Ruthless, greedy, tyrannical, disreputable…they have had one principle worth all the rest, the principle of delight!”
I was drawn to this contemplative mood when Mrs. Tick Talk remarked on a couple of trinkets that arrived into our otherwise peaceful domicile. She obviously wasn’t enjoying my giddy delight or the long-drawn-out story that accompanied each object. “I guess I’m just not a collector like you”, was her defense as she scampered out of earshot.
This rebuff, however soft, caused me to wonder what it must be like for those who do not find delight in holding an object whose very molecules were present in important places at important times. If anything can connect our past with present realities, it is the tangible witnesses we collect.
So, I hope you share my delight with obtaining a letter dated May 4th, 1817. Written in tight flowing cursive, the scraps of paper were given under the hand of Charles-François Chossat in the town of Planpalais, just outside of the Old City of Geneva and now the home of modern Vacheron Constantin, for delivery to Jacques Barthélémy Vacheron, then on business in Turin.
By way of background, founder Jean-Marc Vacheron was succeeded by his son Abraham who took a partner in 1786, Barthélémy Girod, and the company became Vacheron Girod. When Girod retired in 1816, his place was assumed by Monsieur Chossat and the company became Vacheron Chossat & Cie. This lasted a few short years before M. Chossat also retired and was, in turn, replaced by François Constantin. Thus in 1819 the name of Vacheron et Constantin came into being.
The Annales of V&C tell us that in April of 1817, Barthélémy Vacheron went to Italy via the pass of Mont Cenis and, after his carriage overturned twice, arrived at Turin. A virulent disease they referred to as the “épidémie la pétéchiale” was ravaging the country, later identified as typhus. It was reported that in Venice alone twenty-eight doctors died while providing care. The peak occurred during May of 1817, prompting France to send medical assistance; both to aid the living and study the characteristics of this disease should it propagate across the border. As a preventative, Vacheron drank copious amounts of “limonade d’orange”, for he didn’t wish to change his plans to travel on to Milan, Genoa, and finally Livorno where the Princess of Austria was expected. This could mean sales to the Court, or at least they might sell some “pacotilles” (cheap items) to the sailors.
And now the stage is set for our letter. I am grateful for assistance from VC’s Heritage Department, to whom I provided hi-res scans. They described the contents as dealing with the typhus epidemic, on to the business of watchmaking and repeaters, the manufacture of snuffboxes, and the always problematic subject of repairs.
At the closing of his correspondence, Chossat recommends that Vacheron seek the assistance of “Constantin” to help him deal with a certain Saradini. While I was delighted to find mention of this name, VC advises that it cannot be known with certainty if this was François Constantin as a Mr. I. E. Constantin was also known in Italy around this time.
Watch serial numbers referred to in this correspondence have four digits and are from the series 6xxx, 7xxx, 8xxx, and 9xxx. Watch 6144 from our letter is described succinctly as having a gold dial and a cost of 126.16 Francs. For a comparable piece, look at lot 2 of the Art of Vacheron Constantin auction catalog; a Vacheron Chossat quarter repeating watch completed in 1812, numbered 6143.
This was a time when the artistic side of Genevois horology was preeminent; the period of mechanical innovations was yet to come. Vacheron Chossat nr. 6498, which can also be found in the archives of Antiquorum, illustrates high art in decoration with a gold dial, pearl-set case, and fine enamel scene of fishermen on a lake. Inside resides the expected quarter repeating watch mechanism.
To give an idea on the progression of serial numbers, just a few years earlier in 1808 an Abraham Vacheron quarter repeater was assigned nr. 2031 and by 1825 the numbers were up to five digits. I suspect that serial numbers were not assigned progressively during these early years – they may also have organized by style and complications, or changed with the introduction of new partners.
Here via Google Images is Vacheron Chossat nr. 6753, a key wind and lever set quarter repeater with rather interesting bridge architecture. Note the stop works is not yet the iconic Maltese Cross design.
Exploration of this letter also brought me into contact with Vacheron Chossat nr. 8350 in the collection of the Rijksmuseum of the Netherlands in Amsterdam. Their catalog description was somewhat brief and contact by email revealed they had little knowledge of the piece which was gifted to them in the 1920s. Through the collaboration of VC’s Heritage Department, they were provided with an Extract from the Archives attesting to its manufacture in 1816 with a 15-ligne caliber.
An informative book written in 1804 by François Crespe of Geneva, translated by Richard Watkins, can be found on the world-wide-web, which provides a complete technical description of the genre of repeating watches and is worthwhile reading if you are a collector or an insomniac. Crespe identified 29 different trades involved in the manufacture of Swiss watches, not including the tool makers.
In closing, I’d like to reflect that this letter provides another illustration that, among all the brand names with claims of great antiquity, there really is only one Manufacture which can demonstrate a golden thread of unbroken history for more than two hundred and fifty years.
Thank you for posting this! Cheers, Filip
It is a pleasure to read this and have a glimpse into the history of the oldest watch manufacturer. As for repairs being problematical...the more things change, the more they remain the same. All best, respo
Dean, as always perfect investigation and stunning reading for saturday's breakfast!!! WBR Serge
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