DOI issue:
Nr. 2-4
DOI article:Mieleszkiewicz, Stefan: Vilnius as a production centre of longcase clocks from the mid-eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth century
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18948#0111
(Jan Falkenaur) from Kónigsberg, a guild elder in 1803-1814 was an
outstanding person, very much respected by his peers who supported his family
for many years after Falckenau’s death by paying a so called “soul” tax.’2 Also
Michał Jan Jurkiewicz;” known for his two longcase clocks, probably worked
in Vilnius. As there is no city name in the signature, and also due to lack of
Jurkiewicz’s name in the book of an independent Vilnius watchmakers’s guild
established in 177914 as well as judging from the artistic form of his known
clocks, it may be assumed that Jurkiewicz worked in the third ąuarter of the
eighteenth century.
* * *
As in the case of movements, an analysis of the collected materiał shows
two different furniture groups of Vilnius clock cases. The first coyers local
forms, based mitially on baroąue and rococo carpentry tradition, and
afterwards on Biedermeier Central European patterns. In this group a plank
construction of sides was used, local materiał (pine, ash and walnut) and as far
as decorative techniąues are concerned: veneering (in various sets), inlay,
sometimes grain of wood designs and wood-carving. The style of such cases,
characterised by convex plmth and cut front corners, was shaped by influence
of Holland, Brunswick and Saxony, filtered by Gdańsk, Prussia and Warmia.”'
One of the first objects of this sort known in Vilnius could be a clock with an
for debts; cf. Księga skaski..., op. cit., book 10; Haupt-Buch..., op. cit., p. 187; Lietuvos Valstybes
Istorijos Archyvas, 458/5/33, Dzieło Administracji i Licytacyi Domu Frohlandów, 1821 and other
documents pertaining to this case and Dodatek Drugi do Gazety Kury era Litewskiego No. 16 —
auction anouncement signed by the mayor Adam Golawski; Chenakal, op. cit., p. 59.
31 Apprentice from 1800, master from 1814, mentioned as late as in 1845; he became a master,
together with Joachim Sawicki, at a session on 1 January 1814; active as late in 1847; cf.
Haupt-Buch..., op. cit., pp. 148, 179, 236.
32 Księga skaski..., op. cit., chart 12; according to the evangelical parish book in Vilnius, Falckenau
died on 19 December 1819 at the age of 64 (LVIA, Vilniaus Evangeliku Liuteronu Bażnyćia
[1819-1824] F 1218 Ap 1 B 22; I owe this piece of information to Z. Prószyńska); the information
on the “soul” tax comes from Haupt-Buch..., op. cit., pp. 185, 190, 191, 195, 197, 199, 201,
203, 205, 209, 212, 213; Johann was the son of the watchmaker Henryk (apprentice in 1803,
master in 1810); Chenakal, op. cit., p. 20.
33 J.M. Jurkiewicz is not listed in the archival documents concermng Vilnius artisans, edited by
Łopaciński and Łowmiański; he is not listed in ChenakaPs dictionary; Mazeikiene, XV7-XZX a.
Laikrodziai, op. cit., p. 20, considers him a Vilnius watchmaker; Tamuleviciene, op. cit., p. 34,
item 66 finds it doubtful; one of Jurkiewicz’s longcase clocks is known from a water-colour
inventory drawing from 1915 (MNW inv. no. DI 4270), another one is a movement of an English
type longcase clock from the collection on Michał Brensztejn and then the Scientific Society in
Vilnius (now in the Lietuvos Nacionalinis Muziejus in Vilnius, inv. no. IM-3031), characterised
by smooth barrel goings and a dial with an engraved monogram “IMI” in an octagonal star, signed:
“Michael Joannes Jurkiewicz”.
34 Guild book Haupt-Buch..., op. cit.
35 Gdańsk and Kónigsberg were the most important ports and trade centres for Lithuania and
Vilnius. By the end of the eighteenth century two watchmakers came originally from Gdańsk, two
watchmakers and one carpenter from Kónigsberg, while three carpenters and one watchmaker
came from Warmia (Księga Skaski..., op. cit., chart 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 317, 318).
105
outstanding person, very much respected by his peers who supported his family
for many years after Falckenau’s death by paying a so called “soul” tax.’2 Also
Michał Jan Jurkiewicz;” known for his two longcase clocks, probably worked
in Vilnius. As there is no city name in the signature, and also due to lack of
Jurkiewicz’s name in the book of an independent Vilnius watchmakers’s guild
established in 177914 as well as judging from the artistic form of his known
clocks, it may be assumed that Jurkiewicz worked in the third ąuarter of the
eighteenth century.
* * *
As in the case of movements, an analysis of the collected materiał shows
two different furniture groups of Vilnius clock cases. The first coyers local
forms, based mitially on baroąue and rococo carpentry tradition, and
afterwards on Biedermeier Central European patterns. In this group a plank
construction of sides was used, local materiał (pine, ash and walnut) and as far
as decorative techniąues are concerned: veneering (in various sets), inlay,
sometimes grain of wood designs and wood-carving. The style of such cases,
characterised by convex plmth and cut front corners, was shaped by influence
of Holland, Brunswick and Saxony, filtered by Gdańsk, Prussia and Warmia.”'
One of the first objects of this sort known in Vilnius could be a clock with an
for debts; cf. Księga skaski..., op. cit., book 10; Haupt-Buch..., op. cit., p. 187; Lietuvos Valstybes
Istorijos Archyvas, 458/5/33, Dzieło Administracji i Licytacyi Domu Frohlandów, 1821 and other
documents pertaining to this case and Dodatek Drugi do Gazety Kury era Litewskiego No. 16 —
auction anouncement signed by the mayor Adam Golawski; Chenakal, op. cit., p. 59.
31 Apprentice from 1800, master from 1814, mentioned as late as in 1845; he became a master,
together with Joachim Sawicki, at a session on 1 January 1814; active as late in 1847; cf.
Haupt-Buch..., op. cit., pp. 148, 179, 236.
32 Księga skaski..., op. cit., chart 12; according to the evangelical parish book in Vilnius, Falckenau
died on 19 December 1819 at the age of 64 (LVIA, Vilniaus Evangeliku Liuteronu Bażnyćia
[1819-1824] F 1218 Ap 1 B 22; I owe this piece of information to Z. Prószyńska); the information
on the “soul” tax comes from Haupt-Buch..., op. cit., pp. 185, 190, 191, 195, 197, 199, 201,
203, 205, 209, 212, 213; Johann was the son of the watchmaker Henryk (apprentice in 1803,
master in 1810); Chenakal, op. cit., p. 20.
33 J.M. Jurkiewicz is not listed in the archival documents concermng Vilnius artisans, edited by
Łopaciński and Łowmiański; he is not listed in ChenakaPs dictionary; Mazeikiene, XV7-XZX a.
Laikrodziai, op. cit., p. 20, considers him a Vilnius watchmaker; Tamuleviciene, op. cit., p. 34,
item 66 finds it doubtful; one of Jurkiewicz’s longcase clocks is known from a water-colour
inventory drawing from 1915 (MNW inv. no. DI 4270), another one is a movement of an English
type longcase clock from the collection on Michał Brensztejn and then the Scientific Society in
Vilnius (now in the Lietuvos Nacionalinis Muziejus in Vilnius, inv. no. IM-3031), characterised
by smooth barrel goings and a dial with an engraved monogram “IMI” in an octagonal star, signed:
“Michael Joannes Jurkiewicz”.
34 Guild book Haupt-Buch..., op. cit.
35 Gdańsk and Kónigsberg were the most important ports and trade centres for Lithuania and
Vilnius. By the end of the eighteenth century two watchmakers came originally from Gdańsk, two
watchmakers and one carpenter from Kónigsberg, while three carpenters and one watchmaker
came from Warmia (Księga Skaski..., op. cit., chart 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 317, 318).
105