Rare 19th Century Clocks To Be Sold At Bonhams

New York- On August 21, Bonhams sale of Art of Time will offer a further selection from the extraordinary collection of Eugene Antelis featuring unusual rare clocks by the mid-19th century London maker, Thomas Cole. Often in the form of an intricately constructed tablet resting on a strut, they are ideal personal timekeepers for the desk or writing table. What sets the Antelis collection apart is a group of rarer Cole clocks in exotic forms such as an inkwell (US$7,000-9,000), a miniature clock tower (US$15,000-20,000), a miniature dressing mirror (US$4,000-6,000) or a model cannon engraved with an elaborate coat of arms (US$15,000-20,000).

The sale also features fine wristwatches by Patek Philippe including a stainless steel Nautilus bracelet watch with calendar, moon phase and winding indicator, Ref: 5712/1A-001 (US$40,000-60,000), a rare rose gold wrist chronograph, Ref: 1579, made in 1954 (US$70,000-90,000) and a very rare dual time zone wristwatch with independently adjustable hour Ref: 2597, retailed by Gübelin in 1961, (US$70,000-90,000). Rolex is well represented by an automatic Cosmograph Daytona, Ref. 16520 with the Zenith based Cal. 4030 accompanied by box and papers (US$20,000-30,000).

Among the pocket watches is a slim gold minute repeater sold by Cartier, Paris during the 1920's (US$12,000-18,000). Technical virtuosity is represented by a unique 18K gold openface chronometer with tourbillon, annual calendar, sidereal and mean solar times, power reserve and thermometer by the 20th century artisan German watchmaker Thomas Engel (US$25,000-35,000).