Formerly the property of Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, 1862-1910.
The proceeds from the sale of this lot will be donated to The Leukaemia Research Fund.
A gold filled hunting cased keyless lever pocket watch, Waltham Watch Co., circa 1900, white enamel dial signed American Waltham Watch Co., Roman numerals, outer Arabic five minutes, subsidiary seconds, frosted gilt movement signed A.W.W. Co., Waltham Mass, compensation balance, numbered 5818686, engine turned case with milled band, diameter 52mm, together with a group of letters dating from the 1950's and 60's from Ethel Le Neve to her friend Rex Manning, the novelist Ursula Bloom to Ethel Le Neve and Rex Manning to Ursula Bloom, a typed and hand written history of the watch by Rex Manning, various newspaper cuttings and two photographs of Ethel Le Neve with Rex Manning.
Details
A gold filled hunting cased keyless lever pocket watch, Waltham Watch Co., circa 1900, white enamel dial signed American Waltham Watch Co., Roman numerals, outer Arabic five minutes, subsidiary seconds, frosted gilt movement signed A.W.W. Co., Waltham Mass, compensation balance, numbered 5818686, engine turned case with milled band, diameter 52mm, together with a group of letters dating from the 1950's and 60's from Ethel Le Neve to her friend Rex Manning, the novelist Ursula Bloom to Ethel Le Neve and Rex Manning to Ursula Bloom, a typed and hand written history of the watch by Rex Manning, various newspaper cuttings and two photographs of Ethel Le Neve with Rex Manning.
See Back Cover Illustration
See Back Cover Illustration
Further details
Dr. Crippen was hanged at Pentonville Prison on 23rd November 1910, under the terms of his will completed in the condemned cell at Pentonville on the eve of execution, this watch along with other effects passed to his mistress Ethel Le Neve. Ethel, who married and became Mrs. Stanley Smith kept the watch until 1962 when, in old age she gave it to her close friend and confidant Rex Manning, it has thence descended to the present owner.