A Royal timepiece was sold at an auction conducted by Christie’s recently owned by the Queen Mother manufactured by known French jeweler and watchmaker, Cartier back in 1924.
The diamond, enameled cocktail watch was given to the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, when she was still called the Duchess of York, wife to Prince Albert by her brother-in-law and the future King of England during that time, Edward VIII.
When Edward VIII abdicated his throne in 1936, her husband Prince Albert was crowned King George VI of England. It was learned during those times that the Queen Mother gave the Cartier diamond cocktail watch to her long-time personal companion, Katta Maclean.
The Queen Mother’s Cartier diamond timepiece was sold for USD$27,248 about 10 times than its usual value. It is quite amazing how a royal provenance can change the value of an item drastically. Avid collectors are sure to find these items more interesting especially if they are in good condition and most of the time wristwatch and jewelry that are auctioned are wearable and in very good condition.
Cartier is a famous and respected French watchmaker and jeweler. It is under the Compagnie Financiere Richemont Corporation. It still carries up to this day the name Cartier even after the family’s control over the company ended back in 1964. They are famous in making timeless, magnificent pieces like Wallis Simpson’s Panthere brooch and Yadavindra Singh’s diamond necklace. They were once called the Jeweller to Kings as they were commissioned to create 27 tiaras for King Edward’s coronation event in 1902.
Go to their official site to see their new collection: Cartier.
Ritchie Auctioneers in Toronto auctioned a 19th century English game set just last week and game experts were surprised that it fetched an amount of an almost USD$9,000.00. It was three times the expected price they were hoping it would fetch.
It was created by a London company called Parkins and Gotto. Usually, game box sets by the company would just fetch prices of not more than a thousand dollars from avid collectors so it came as a surprise when the auctioneer declared it was sold for USD$8,800.
The Parkins and Gotto Game Box Set was in a very good, unused condition to which some of the experts believed the reason why it fetched a high amount. The games inside the box set are the usual parlor games back in 1875 like backgammon, chess, dominos and playing cards among others.
There is a demand on vintage board games since it reminds them of their own past. Those were the days that DVD’s and playstation have not existed yet and so the bonding times between siblings or parent to children are mostly around those vintage game boards.
In the vintage board games market, the highest known auction record was for a chess set created by artist Man Ray which was auctioned last year in Sotheby’s for a very high price of USD$300,000.00.
Sotheby’s auctioned around 200 magnificent timepieces last May in Geneva. One of the highlights of the said auction was the sale of a 1932 Patek Philippe creation dubbed as “The Trossi Leggenda.” It was sold at 2,345,000 CHF.
It is a single button chronograph watch that is probably one of the largest wristwatches created by Patek Philippe as it has a diameter of 46 millimeters. It is quite a unique size from the usual wristwatches produced during that time.
This particular 1932 Patek Philippe gained so much interest from timepieces aficionados not only because of its unique qualities but also because of its former owner, Count Carlo Felice Trossi. His name is synonymous to the Ferrari legend in the world of automobiles. Back in 1932, he became the President of Ferrari Scuderia. His fascination on the power of speed led him to the world of motorcar racing and eventually gave him the Italian and Swiss Grand Prix Championships both in 1947 and 1948. He was also into speedboat racing and a pioneer in aviation.
With his involvement in these activities, he preferred to don a wristwatch with an accurate reading of time in a highly visible format, hence, the bigger diameter. Patek Philippe produced very few of this type of wristwatch and up to this day the auction market only has seen another one of this kind but was manufactured around 20 years after it was first introduced in the market.
For a detailed description of the Trossi Leggenda 1932 Patek Philippe wristwatch, go here.
Back in 2002, it held the ultimate record of the most expensive wristwatch ever sold in an auction. It was twice the price of the previous record holder. This certain Patek Philippe platinum gentleman’s wristwatch was sold for USD$4,026,524.00 in Geneva Switzerland.
The Patek Philippe “World Time” watch was first manufactured in 1939 and is very unique and rare since it shows the time in 42 cities around the world. Collectors were vying for the timepiece but an anonymous buyer from Asia was able to purchase it in an auction conducted by Antiquorum, the leading watch autioneer in the world.
There are other rare timepieces from the World Time Series and are truly highly regarded by wristwatch collectors specifically those that was made between 1940s and 1950s. These items usually fetch high prices in auctions as they were made with more complications. This World Time complication was invented by a well-known independent match manufacturer, Louis Cottier in 1935. It was later adapted by Patek Philippe and created several magnificent timepieces.
The wearer winds the watch to select a city directing it to the 12 o’clock position and by doing that, the hour hand and the center ring will move to the specific time and show the eact time of the chosen city.
The World Time Patek Philippe timepieces are quite in demand for watch lovers and collectors. However, it is the one that has a hand-painted cloisonné miniature or those with enamel motifs, which are quite popular in the market although the one with a map of the world at the center of the dial are, favored more.
It is a highly recommended collectible. Any Patek Philippe watch for that matter is definitely an investment. Check Forbes.com’s Top Ten list of the most expensive and highly regard wristwatch and all of them are from the Patek Philippe Collection.
William Shakespeare also known as the “Bard” or the “Bard of Avon” was an English poet and playwright who had written 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and several poems. His works are highly regarded and said to have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Not a single of his own manuscript had been discovered or preserved. It is believed that during his time, manuscripts were written for performance only and not really considered as literary works.
During his time, a playwright made drafts of their plays for the actors referred to as “foul papers,” which would then be given to scribes to make clearer copies referred to as “fair copies.” There were also no copyright laws during that time and that the only way to protect your work would be to enter it in the Stationer’s Register.
Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories and Tragedies or the First Folio as it is now popularly known is the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, published in 1623, seven years after his death. The printer and publisher were William Jaggard and his son, Isaac with Ed. Blount. Other folios were printed in 1632, 1663, 1664 and 1685. The valuable First Folio has over 900 pages which contains 36 plays, 18 of which were published for the first time including Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night to name a few. This folio was compiled and edited by Shakespeare’s colleagues in the King’s Men (formerly Lord Chamberlain’s Men), John Heminges and Henry Condell, who incidentally were also included in the Bard’s will. It has three categories namely, comedies, histories and tragedies. The front cover has a copper?engraved image of Shakespeare by an engraver, Martin Droeshout. The First Folio was entered in the Stationer’s Register on November 8, 1623.
The First Folio, still in its original 17th century calf binding, has sold for $5.2 million or £2.5 million, hammer price, in July of 2006 at Sotheby’s auction house. Interestingly, its original price when it was first published was 20 shillings, which is equivalent to £100 today. The book is considered to be in good condition even with markings and annotations from previous owners and readers. The book was previously owned by the Dr. William’s Theological Library, a private London library established in the 18th century.
William Shakespeare’s First Folio is regarded by Sotheby’s as the most important book in English literature. According to Peter Shelley, Sotheby’s English literature expert, “Shakespeare has had a more profound and widespread impact on the artistic imagination, on language, literature and all the performing arts, than any other writer who has ever lived.”
Merrie Melodies: The Early Worm Gets the Bird
A determined bird goes out early to hunt for a worm and the bird gets into trouble. Produced in 1939 by Warner Brothers Pictures.
Many people are so fascinated with treasure hunting. In the past, they call them expeditions. This is the reason why every time a movie from the Indiana Jones franchise is shown in the theatres, it always end up being a box office hit. Aside of course that, it is a Harrison Ford movie.
Anyway, in the movie, viewers are thrown into the mystery of whatever relic or artifact, the hero, Indy was to acquire. He is an intelligent and famous archeologist and his specialty is to get mysterious artifacts.
People then began to question if there are some truth to them.
The Cross of Coronado inIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade was fiction. Although they based the name from one of the real 16th century treasure hunter Francisco de Coronado who led an Spanish expedition back in 1541 looking for the mythical Seven Cities of Cibola.
Apparently during those times, a friar claimed that he was able to see a city of gold but only from a distance. The story reached the ears of the conquistadors in Spain and so therefore, arranged an expedition to search for the golden city. When they went back to the place, Coronado and his men only found a modest city, far from the friar’s description.
The Cup of Kali in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with a cult group called Thuggees and a devotion to the Hindu goddess Kali. In reality, Thuggees really existed in India centuries ago. They are described in Wikipedia as a secret fraternity known for robbing and killing people for their valuables. The term “thug” originated from them as India was under the British rule during that time and so some of the Indian words were mixed into the English language.
There are so many people wanted to start they own collection or just want pieces to decorate their newly renovated house but they do not know where to start looking for them for fear of being ripped off.
There is no better way to start looking for them but in your own neighborhood. Your neighbor’s attics and basements are definitely the first place to rummage. They will also appreciate it that someone’s going to sort out their stored “garbage” and the best thing about them is that it’s free.
Your next destination is the flea markets. But before you go, make sure that you arm yourself with the basic things you need to know about antiques. Since it is a very broad subject, limit yourself to the type of antiques that you are interested in and start from there. There are so many websites in the Internet where you can find elaborate explanations on the items that you want. Read and compare.
If the flea markets in your area are limited and you don’t have the time to travel to Auction Houses then best place for you to go next is the World Wide Web. Online buying and selling are abundant in the Internet. If you are unsure if the online store is reputable or not, then go and sign up for membership in different antique forums. There, you will find experts who were once a novice like you and most of them are pretty helpful. They will even recommend good places for you to shop.
However, before going to all those places, make sure you have gone through your own attic or basement. Sometimes, you will be surprised on the items you never thought you have stored in there.
There are so many items that are just fun to collect and to those who does not have any idea on where to start, check some of the experts hot list of collectibles for the year.
Six Board Chests
Back in the late 17th or early 18th century, furniture makers created an alternative to expensive joined chests. They are called the Six-board chests. They are often with decorative, intricate scribing and ornaments so that it can look like a joined chest. Although, there were antique six-board chests that were simply painted but the materials used were very solid. Chests were a fundamental item of furniture back then since it can serve as a luggage or just decorative furniture in a house. Today, you can find items between USD$500 to $3,000.
Coin Silver Spoons
This is one collectible item that can be useable. They are molded from old molten silver coins. Some with elaborate designs; some are with unusual handle shapes and some are monogrammed. The older American pieces are usually 90% silver because coin silver is made up of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. They are regarded as a grade lower than the sterling. Prices for these items usually are between USD$10 to a $100. Everything depends on the condition of the spoon, the design and if the manufacturers stamped them.
World War I Propaganda Posters
Most of the countries that were active during the World War I used propaganda posters. They mostly are encouraging people to enlist in the army. Some have messages of hope and some are explaining why their country is participating in the war. The government was hoping they could inspire people to either join or give donations to help the military movements. They were successful in advertising and marketing the War initiatives and its purpose. The prices for these ephemera items vary. Some can go as high as USD$15,000 and there are some that can be purchased at USD$200. It all depends on the image, the condition and its significance.
Originally they were made up of compositions but later on during the hardships brought by World War II, they used cloth for bodies and composition for arms and legs. Composition is the name given by the doll makers to a material, which is composed of, combined sawdust and glue, which are heated to be placed in mould to create the head and bodies of the dolls.
The company also created a replica doll of an actress. This is the only doll that Effanbee created based solely on a character that a Hollywood actress starred in. The Anne Shirley Doll from the movie Anne of Green Gables.
When the company tried on making plastic dolls in 1949, they started with the Honey Doll. It was a walking doll although designs are limited just to either weddings or parades costumes as they are the only usual places where girls of that generation are expected to go to.
The Effanbee dolls are quite fun to collect. It is hard to find original ones but it would not be as fun if they are easy to get and they won’t be considered good collectibles. The good thing is that we often see collectible dolls in mint condition for the very reason that most mothers in the past won’t let their children play with them which are quite sad for those little girls who can only look but cannot touch.
However, if you look at it in today’s perspective from those who inherited them, they must have thank their great grandmothers because if it not for them they would have been damaged and would not be as valuable as they are today.
A Royal timepiece was sold at an auction conducted by Christie’s recently owned by the Queen Mother manufactured by known French jeweler and watchmaker, Cartier back in 1924.
Cartier is a famous and respected French watchmaker and jeweler. It is under the Compagnie Financiere Richemont Corporation. It still carries up to this day the name Cartier even after the family’s control over the company ended back in 1964. They are famous in making timeless, magnificent pieces like Wallis Simpson’s Panthere brooch and Yadavindra Singh’s diamond necklace. They were once called the Jeweller to Kings as they were commissioned to create 27 tiaras for King Edward’s coronation event in 1902.
Photo Credit: 
Apparently during those times, a friar claimed that he was able to see a city of gold but only from a distance. The story reached the ears of the conquistadors in Spain and so therefore, arranged an expedition to search for the golden city. When they went back to the place, Coronado and his men only found a modest city, far from the friar’s description.
