Details

Robert Chignett. A fine and rare 18K gold repousse pair case verge watch with chatelaine Signed Rob. Chignett, London, No. 245, circa 1760 With gilt-finished verge movement, engraved and pierced cock, chain fusee, gold dust cap, in plain inner case, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, Arabic five minute divisions, blued steel stylized hands, the outer case in high relief depicting Mars, the God of War offering a crown to the Goddess of Peace, chased and embossed scroll and foliage decoration in high relief to the bezel and rim, together with a gold chatelaine enhanced by chased and embossed decoration in high relief depicting classical and mythological motifs, inner case stamped R.D, movement and dust cap signed Rob. Chignett London 50 mm. diam.

Post Lot Text

This fine watch was given to John Roosevelt by Ellen Crosby Roosevelt, daughter of John Aspinwall Roosevelt and Ellen Murray Crosby. John Aspinwall Roosevelt was the younger brother of James Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt's father.The watch belonged to Jacobus Roosevelt (1692-1776) great-great-great grandfather of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Jacobus Roosevelt was the founder of the Hyde Park branch, the grandson of the first Roosevelt to arrive in America in 1649 and father of Isaac Roosevelt, Revolutionary patriot. Isaac Roosevelt was a founder and president of the Bank of New York and a member of the State Convention which ratified The Constitution of the United States.The watch was on exhibition at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library from 1945 until 1967. It still has its inventory number 46-108-1.