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Gandhi watch ignites interest at Antiquorum sale

March 09, 2009

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Personal artifacts, including a pocket watch, that belonged to spiritual and political leader Mahatma Gandhi, sold for nearly $2.1 million at Antiquorum's March sale.

New York--A pocket watch belonging to Mahatma Gandhi was among the items that stirred the interest of bidders at Antiquorum's recent auction of Important Collectors' Wristwatches, Pocket Watches and Clocks.

The March 4-5 sale realized a sum of $8,707,724, with $2,096,000 of that from the sale of Gandhi's pocket watch and a number of his personal belongings, including a pair of sandals, glasses, bowl and thali.

Antiquorum said in a media release that the sale of the possessions owned by the spiritual and political leader of India stirred worldwide interest and had been closely covered by the press as well as by collectors and supporters of Gandhi worldwide. Ultimately, the lot went to a prominent Indian businessman who intends to bring the items back to India for permanent public display.

A total of 500 bidders, including those present at the New York auction, as well as bidders by phone and online, competed not only for Gandhi's belongings but also for a number of noteworthy timepieces. By the auction's end, modern and vintage watches were bought at 142 percent of their low estimates, resulting in 75 percent of all lots sold.

Among the historically important pieces was the "Kennedy Onassis" watch, a timepiece belonging to both President John F. Kennedy and to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. The watch, the only known item connecting JFK, Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy, fetched $120,000.

Another timepiece of great significance in the sale was the Patek Philippe Henry Grave's unique platinum minute repeater, which sold for $630,000. The watch belonged to the late Henry Graves Jr., who inspired Patek Philippe to create some of its most complicated watches to date.

Several other Patek Philippe models achieved excellent results as well, including the "Giuseppe Bonanno," a 1950s model whose namesake was thought to be the inspiration for the character of Vito Corleone in Mario Puzo's The Godfather. The timepiece sold for $36,000 and drew considerable attention from collectors and Godfather aficionados.

Patek's Ref. 5016 in yellow gold (lot 536) fetched $494,000, while Ref. 5020, the "TV Watch," in white gold (lot 526) sold for $180,000. Also selling in the six figures were Ref. 3970 in white gold (lot 525), which attained $108,000, and the yellow gold "Celestial" wristwatch (lot 120), which achieved $186,000.

Antiquorum said that Audemars Piguet also realized exceptional results, with its "End of Days" timepiece (lot 435) selling for a notable $42,000. Cartier fared well also, with an Art deco desk alarm clock selling for $32,400, three times its pre-sale estimate.
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