Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

New York, Dec 09, 2009

LOT 14

Tank Cintree Cartier Paris, Made in the early 1930's. Very rare large, curved rectangular, yellow gold wristwatch with European Watch and Clock Co., movement on gold Cartier deployant clasp numbered 8294 and stamped with French control marks for 18K. Case reverse engraved A.A.H. Jr. Accompanied by the book ?Glass and Glamour? based on Steuben?s Modern Movement and featuring a photograph taken in 1934 of Arthur A. Houghton Jr, who took over control of Steuben Glass in 1933, wearing a Cartier Cintree wristwatch on a leather strap.

USD 35,000 - 50,000

CHF 35,000 - 50,000 / EUR 25,000 - 35,000

C. Two-piece, hinged, reverse engraved in block letters A.A.H.Jr, inner case back with movement securing ring and two blocks to secure the dial by screws, curved upper with gold screw-bar lugs, cabochon sapphire set crown, hand beveled curved glass. D. White, radial Arabic numerals, inner minute track, Cartier signature in script. Blued steel spade hands. M. 9"' (21mm), signed European Watch & Clock Co., nickel plated, fausses cotes decoration, 18 jewels, lever escapement, cut and compensated bimetallic balance, 8 adjustments, blued steel overcoil balance-spring. Dial signed. Dim. 23 x 47 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3-9-11-18

Good

Scratched

Slightly worn

Spotted
Movement: 3**

Good

Repair required, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-8-10-01

Good

Slightly scratched

Patinated

HANDS Original

Notes

The case for this watch has been manufactured as per typical Cartier examples of the 1920's and early 1930's, however it is not stamped with any serial numbers, signature or French gold control marks as one would expect. Although rare, similar examples have previously appeared that were later discovered to have been made ?in-house? by Cartier case-makers for friends, relatives or other Cartier employees. As the Houghton family were in the luxury design industry it is very possible they had friends at Cartier who manufactured the case by request.
Arthur A. Houghton Jr. (1906 - 1990)
a great-grandson of the founder of Corning Glass Works, he joined the company after graduating from Harvard University in 1929 and became president of its subsidiary, Steuben Glass, in 1933. His interest in art and talent for business led him to turn Steuben Glass into a world-renowned enterprise. Mr. Houghton served as curator of rare books at the Library of Congress in Washington until 1942. He sat on the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1952 to 1974. In 1952 Mr. Houghton became a member of the board of the New York Philharmonic Symphony Society and was chairman from 1958 to 1963. He was also former vice chairman of a committee headed by John D. Rockefeller 3rd, to create Lincoln Center. In addition, Mr. Houghton was former vice president of the Pierpont Morgan Library, former president of the English-Speaking Union of the United States, a trustee and past chairman of the Cooper Union in New York City, honorary trustee and former chairman of the Parsons School of Design, former vice chairman of the Fund for the Advancement of Education, and former chairman of the Institute of International Education.