Bonhams Sale 16834 -15 Sep 2009

The catalogue for Bonhams forthcoming sale of clocks and watches is online now.

Some nice things in it as always - here are a few of the stranger itesm that caught my eye:

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Lot No: 109

Jaeger LeCoultre. A gold plated centre seconds alarm stirrup watch

Estimate: £300 - 500


I have no idea what a stirrup watch is (I guess it's the kind worn by nurses, pinned to their uniform), but this clearly isn't for a nurse (maybe some sort of military officer?)

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Lot No: 110

Omega. An early 20th century open face pocket watch conversion with Russian inscription on the reverse

Estimate: £300 - 500


I love the early pocket watch conversions - indeed having the crown at 12 o'clock feature was something I used on the series 2 case design.

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Lot No: 120
Heuer. A single button yachting recorder

Yacht Timer, 1960's

Estimate: £300 - 400


not sure what this is for exactly, but I like the combination of delicate colours and massive button!

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Lot No: 123

Omega. A split seconds chronograph within a specially designed red protective case

Olympic Timer, 1960's
65mm (Case, 95mm diameter).

Estimate: £700 - 900


This is a guess, but I imagine that the 60s were probably the last time that these kind of analogue human-operated timers were used at the Olympics (estimate sounds quite a lot, but I might be in there if it goes low enough!)
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Lot No: 303

An early 20th century desk timepiece and appointment book circa 1939

"Time Secretary", US Patent D-105,811, the movement by Imhof
The tooled leather bound diary with pen holder and centrally mounted Swiss jewelled timepiece movement with lever escapement, 2.25 inch dial, Arabic numerals and hour sectors followed through onto the diary pages 22cm (8.5in) x 15.5cm (6.25in).

Estimate: £250 - 300



This is without doubt my favourite item in the sale - such a strange combination of watch and diary. I wonder if anyone who brought one ever actually used it?

Mike Mak Design

I love this modern, minimalist take on the old-fashioned rolling-eye clock which was popular from the late 1920s. Designed by Mike Mak (not sure if it's in production or if it's just a sketch, I'm guessing with no pricing info etc that it's the latter)

Mike Mak Design

Bonhams Sale 16805 - Watches & Wristwatches

Bonhams are having another sale - here are some pieces that caught my eye

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Lot No: 1

Cabrier. A fine and rare silver and underpainted horn triple case pocket watch

London Hallmark for 1794
70mm.

Estimate: £800 - 1,200


Very nice calligraphy / typography on the dial, loving that sweep on the 'L'!

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Lot No: 112

Patek Philippe. A rare integrated Electronic Master Clock System with independent minute and seconds comparators in a five-piece tower

Circa 1975

Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000


hmm not sure I have the space for this, but I love some of the detailing on it , why for example would they use wood on the side panels which (I assume) wouldn't be visible ? I guess if you're going to be buying an integrated electronic master clock system that you should go for a Patek, just for details like that.

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Lot No: 109

Corum. A limited edition stainless steel automatic centre seconds wristwatch together with fitted presentation box and papers

Estimate: £1,000 - 1,500


I don't love the design, but the hour and minute hands have something quite special about them, I always like a cut-through indicator hand. Incidentally the seconds hand is supposed to be a voodoo pin.

Bonhams watches & clock sale 16793

Bonhams are having another sale of clocks and watches, here are a few that caught my eye:

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Lot No: 100

Movado. An 14ct gold centre seconds triple calendar wristwatch

1940's
15-jewel manual wind movement, silvered bi coloured dial with applied alternate Arabic and dot hour markers, outer calendar scale, apertures for day and month, addition date hand, sweep centre seconds, polished case with snap on back, fancy lugs, fitted associated leather strap, case, dial and movement signed
32mm.

Estimate: £400 - 600

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Lot No: 287

A rare late 19th century continental digital mantel timepiece in a contemporary case

Unsigned
The arched crossbanded boxwood strung mahogany case with moulded plinth base on brass bracket feet, the cast brass seven inch dial with sunburst mask and winged cherub between the numeral apertures with painted metal flip-down numerals driven by a single barrelled movement with tapering plates and adjustable deadbeat escapement 35cm (14in) high.

Estimate: £1,000 - 1,500

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Lot No: 338

Two early 20th century bulkhead timepieces

Smiths Astral, number AP160174 and Sestrel, signed by the retailer Capt. O.M. Watts Ltd.
The Smiths Astral clock with eight inch signed and numbered dial, with concentric inner hour ring and outer seconds/minute track, painted hands, locking bezel, hand-set and stop/start lever to the side of the brass case, single barrelled movement with lever escapement, the second clock with six inch signed dial, going barrel movement signed by Elliott and lever escapement 27cm (10.5in) and 20cm (8in) wide. (2)

Estimate: £250 - 350

[i'm fascinated by the red sections on the dial - are they the point when shifts changed?)

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