Josef Kossek
Josef Kossek , also called Kosek (born February 29, 1780 in Žďár nad Orlicí , † July 7, 1858 in Prague ), was a Czech watchmaker , mechanic and miniature painter .
Life
The forester's son was born on February 29, 1780 in Žďár nad Orlicí ( Bohemia ). After studying philosophy in Brno and Olomouc , he joined the Premonstratensian Canons' Monastery of Želiv , where, as a novice , he carved the portrait of Prelate Thaddäus von Trautmannsdorff from alabaster and was already making clocks as an autodidact . After three years of studying theology , he left the monastery , worked as a miniature painter and in 1809 entered the service of Count Auersperg in Prague as a secretary .
After 1814 Kossek turned completely to the art of watchmaking and later achieved an important reputation in it. In the beginning he learned watchmaking from the Prague inventor and designer Josef Božek . He encountered great resistance from the Prague Watchmaking Guild , which had no understanding of modern changes in watchmaking. Kossek was only allowed to become a watchmaker after a personal intervention by Count Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky .
From 1825 Josef Kossek worked as an art watchmaker for the Prague observatory . Josef Kossek was an honorary member of the Bohemian Trade Association . He died in Prague on July 7, 1858.
Services
Kossek invented many improvements in watch technology. A new type of escapement and various compensation pendulums are known.
His most famous works were precision pendulum clocks at the observatory in Prague and Trieste . A precision pendulum clock is in the National Technical Museum in Prague .
literature
- Constantin von Wurzbach : Kossek, Joseph . In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich . 13th part. Imperial and Royal Court and State Printing Office, Vienna 1865, pp. 3–5 ( digitized version ).
- Jiří Kořalka: Kosek (Kossek) Josef. In: Austrian Biographical Lexicon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 4, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1969, p. 143.
- Gustav Otruba : Kos (s) ek, Josef. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 12, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1980, ISBN 3-428-00193-1 , p. 613 ( digitized version ).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jürgen Abeler: Master of the watchmaking art. Wuppertal 1977, p. 365
- ↑ Stanislav Michal: Hodiny ; Polytechnická knižnice, Praha 1980 p. 228
- ↑ Radko Kynčl: Hodiny a hodinky ; Aventinum Praha 2001; P. 246
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Kossek, Josef |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Kosek, Josef |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Czech watchmaker, mechanic and miniature painter |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 29, 1780 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Žďár nad Orlicí |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 7, 1858 |
| Place of death | Prague |