German fragment of a self-strike Renaissance watch Circa 1580

Gilt bronze open faced pocket watch presumably from Augsburg
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A German fragment of an one handed pre-balance Renaissance watch with hour self strike, circa 1580.
Bronze firegilt case (re-build), open-work, florally ornamented, with rear bell. Silver dial (not original) with florally engraved centre, radial Roman numerals, Arabic 24 hours and blued hand. Full plate brass movement (re-build), gilt, with two barrels for hour self strike and going train, verge escapement, locking plate with internal teeth, one hammer, three-arm brass balance and balance cock with flower decor.
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Diameter: 56 mm
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Weight: 194 g
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Signed: Margaritha Maultasch
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Margaret Maultasch (1318-1369)
Margaret, Countess of Tyrol (after 1366 nicknamed Margarete Maultasch) was born in 1318 in Tyrol and died on October 3, 1369 in Vienna. She was the daughter of Henry, Duke of Carinthia and Count of Tyrol and Gorizia, and his wife Adelaide of Brunswick.

The nickname “Maultasch” was first mentioned around 1366 in the third Bavarian instalment of the “Sächsische Weltchronik” (Saxon World Chronicle) and then 1393 in the “Österreichische Chronik” (Austrian Chronicle). It stands for “harlot, loose woman” and was mainly used in papal and Bohemian propaganda.

Since 1425 this nickname was taken literally and Margaret was thought to have had a deformed mouth; the subsequent assumption, however, that Margaret must have been altogether very ugly is most likely false – at the time Johannes of Winterthur for example described her as a particularly beautiful woman.

Another explanation derives the name from Margaret’s favourite castle Neuhaus in Terlan, which the locals named “Schloss Maultasch” because of the nearby customs station called “mala tasca” (mouse trap). It is of course also possible that the derogatory nickname was planted by Margaret’s first husband John Henry, who is known to have spread the most malevolent rumours about her.