GERMAN, GILT BRASS FOLDING KNIFE FITTED WITH A MINIATURE SINGLE HAND VERGE WATCH MOVEMENT

An exceptional museum worthy rarity, the present knife watch is one of the few luxurious miniature novelties to survive from the 17th century. Evidently made as an entirely individual piece, the movement has been specially constructed in an elongated form with plates shaped to follow exactly the elongated, slightly curved shape of the case and with a completely linear wheel train with spring barrel, fusée and each wheel up to and including the verge escapement placed in an almost straight line.

German watchmakers at this period were very inventive in the manufacture of such ‘toys’ to impress their wealthy patrons. Other known objects from the 17th century that are fitted with a timepiece are a watch fitted to a sword pommel, a powder flask and a hunting knife.

Miniature watches have always been a challenge for watchmakers, who have vied with one another to produce ever-smaller mechanisms.

The earliest known surviving example is a tiny gold and enamel clockwatch by an unknown German maker, circa 1610, which once belonged to Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia and was sold as part of the Harcourt Collection at Sotheby's London in 1992.

Small folding knives with superbly decorated cases and fitted with watches became exceedingly popular during the late 18th century, and were largely made for the Chinese Market.