Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

New York, The Grand Havana Room, Sep 20, 2006

LOT 108

Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 157153, case No. 270682. Made circa 1915 for Spaulding & Co., Chicago and presented to Barney Oldfield in 1916. Very fine, keyless, minute-repeating, 18K yellow gold pocket watch with split-seconds chronograph and register.

USD 12,000 - 16,000

EUR 9,500 - 13,000

Sold: USD 23,600

C. Four-body, "demi-bassine", solid, polished, monogrammed case back, hinged gold cuvette with inscription: ?Barney Oldfield by David G. Joyce ? May 30th 1916?. D. White enamel with painted Arabic numerals, outer minute and outermost chronograph divisions, sunk subsidiary dials for the seconds and the 30-minute register. Gold ?Louis XVI" hands. M. Cal. 17''', maillechort, ?fausses-côtes? decoration, 39 jewels, straight line counterpoised lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, ?swan-neck? micrometer regulator, visible chronograph works, repeating on gongs by activating slide on the band. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 46 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-9-01

Good

Scratched

HANDS Original

Notes

Bern ?Barney? Eli Oldfield Was born on a farm in Wauseon, Ohio on June 3, 1878. The outgoing young man loved bicycle racing and by 1894. His competitive talents had won him a gold watch and several silver medals and by 1896, he earned well as an amateur on the ?Stearns? bicycle factory team. In 1902, in Salt Lake City, he raced on a gasoline-powered bicycle and shortly thereafter he met Henry Ford, who wanted him to test his cars. But the two Ford race cars prepared for him didn?t start. Barney bought both cars for $800 and after several improvements to his car ?No. 999?, and was driven by him for the first time in the ?Manufacturer?s challenge Cup?. He beat the defending champion Mexander Winton by half a mile! In 1903 Oldfield was the first driver to drive a mile in a minute and in 1910 he was speeding in his ?Blitzen-Benz at 131.25 mph. Barney set many other records and he was able to charge $4000 for an appearance. In 1914 and 1916 he competed in the ?Indianapolis 500? race, finishing twice fifth, this pocket watch was presented to him at a later occasion. The gifted showman retired from car racing in 1918, continuing to work in the movies. One of the greatest race drivers of all time, Barney Oldfield died in 1946; he was introduced into the ?International Motorsports Hall of Fame? in 1990.