indicating that the portrait may have been painted after
Bertolla's death on January 15, 1789. Translated, it states: "Bartolomeo
Antonio Bertola [sic] Celebrated Mechanician and Inventor of various
Instruments. Repairer of the clocks of Venice, Verona, Trent, and other
localities. Maker of the Work which combines the Copernican and
Ptolemaic Systems devised by Father Francesco Borghesi of Mechel,
Laureate Mathematician, and humbly offered to Her Imperial Majesty Maria
Theresa. Died in piety in his home at Rumo on 15 January 1789 at the age
of 86." (_Courtesy of Sig. Luigi Pippa of Milan._)]

[Illustration: Figure 5.--THE VILLAGE OF MOCENIGO DI RUMO in the valley
of the Non. Arrow points to Bertolla's home and workshop at far left.]

[Illustration: Figure 6.--CERTIFICATE OF APPRENTICESHIP awarded to
Bartolomeo Antonio Bertolla upon completion of his 3-year apprenticeship
at Neulengbach, dated December 27, 1722.]

Bertolla began his apprenticeship with Butzjaeger under the auspices of
the Corporation of Blacksmiths of Sankt Poelten in 1719. His training was
supervised by two master locksmiths, Johann Christian Winz and Peter
Wisshofer, who were members of the Corporation, and were assigned to
serve as patrons for the apprentice. It was their obligation to make
certain that he received good care and adequate instruction from his
master. While he worked in Butzjaeger's shop, Bertolla lived with the
master's family in their home.

Bertolla's 3 years at Neulengbach passed quickly as he sought to absorb
all that his master could teach him. Butzjaeger was considered to be a
good craftsman in the region, yet today there is not even a mention of
his name in the lists of clockmakers. He specialized in the production
and repair of "great clocks" which included tall-case, domestic
timepieces, and tower clocks. Butzjaeger treated his apprentice well, and
in return Bertolla rewarded him by being diligent and honest. His
subsequent work is sufficient indication that he developed into an
extremely skilled craftsman, and he became the equal of any clockmaker
of his time.

The 3 years of apprenticeship were completed and on December 27, 1722,
Bertolla received a certificate from the Corporation of Blacksmiths
which assured whomever it might concern of Bertolla's skill, diligence
and honesty, and permitted him to open his own shop as a clockmaker
under the auspices of the Corporation. This document, which has been
preserved by Berto