Property of the University of Illinois
PATEK PHILIPPE. AN 18 carat GOLD KEYLESS LEVER OPENFACE MINUTE REPEATING WATCH

细节
PATEK PHILIPPE. AN 18 carat GOLD KEYLESS LEVER OPENFACE MINUTE REPEATING WATCH
signed Patek Philippe & Co., Geneve, No. 157358, circa 1919

with nickel-finished lever movement, 31 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance, Wolf's tooth winding, gold train, repeating on two gongs, gold cuvette engraved with presentation, the white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, subsidiary seconds, blued steel moon-style hands, plain case with slide repeat in the band, case, cuvette, dial and movement signed- 47mm diam.

拍品专文

A.E. Staley, Sr.,- "a dreamer who made his dreams come true"

This extraordinary gentleman was the founder of the now world famous A.E. Staley Company, which was founded in 1897. Since 1988 the company is part of the British corporation Tate & Lyle.

The watch offered for sale was presented to Mr. Staley by his employees, Christmas 1919.

During the later years of Mr. Staley's life, he often stated that there were times when he was short on cash and needed to purchase supplies or to pay his employees. As a result, he would take his beloved watch to the local pawnbroker in order to raise money. Once the products were sold, Mr. Staley would redeem his watch.

In 1990, a member of the Staley family gifted the family heirloom to the University of Illinois to support the University's Historical Clothing Collection. This unique resource of the University consists of more than 5000 items dating from 1766 and celebrates the lives of the working people who settled the Illinois prairie - people such as A.E. Staley.