A selection of rarities made by two of the most celebrated American watchmakers leads a stunning American, single-owner $1 million collection of 85 timepieces, built up over the past 20 years, to be offered at the Bonhams The Art of Time sale in New York on December 3rd.
Albert Potter and Charles Fasoldt, two highly regarded craftsmen of the late 19th century, are still considered among the world’s finest watchmakers today.
Potter made no more than a few hundred innovative precision watches – five of which are included in the private collection. One example offered is an 1880s fine 18K gold hunter cased keyless minute repeating chronograph (estimate of US$10,000 – 15,000).
His contemporary Charles Fasoldt, the American clockmaker of German origin, was famous for inventing a double double-wheel lever escapement known as ‘Fasoldt’s chronometer’. Six Fasoldt watches featuring this movement are offered from the collection, including an 1860s fine and rare 18K gold cabriolet cased watch with co-axial double-wheel escapement (estimate of $US18,000 – 22,000).
Other complications such as the perpetual calendar, tourbillon and dual time zones, familiar in today’s luxury watches, were introduced by a small number of virtuoso watchmakers of the late 19th century. Pocket watches such as these – the prototypes for today’s complicated wristwatches – also feature in the collection offered by Bonhams, together with their modern-day equivalents.
The auction also offers also a selection of clocks, led by a circa 1915 Cartier fine diamond and enamelled gold-mounted onyx desk clock (estimate US$25,000 – 35,000).
Jonathan Snellenburg, Director of Fine Clocks and Watches, Bonhams New York, said: “This is a magnificent collection showcasing bespoke, precision timepieces made specially for the first generation of watch owners, including rare American-made watches – they were the Ferraris and Rolls-Royces of their day and were the prototypes of many modern complicated wristwatches.”
The Art of Time Sale will be a hybrid ‘live and online’ auction with a live auctioneer at the rostrum in the Bonhams New York sale room on December 3rd. To view the sale room visit The Art of Time.
Photo: Charles Fasoldt, Albany, NY. A fine and rare 18K gold cabriolet cased watch with co-axial double-wheel escapement. Bonhams