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Auction 109
Lot 247

109th Auction

2023/11/18

Lot 247

Tiffany & Co.

A very fine, historically interesting presentation pocket watch with original box

Sold

estimated
2.000—3.000 €
Price realized
1.900 €
Our current catalogue
specific features
Case
18 K gold, engraved monogram "WWR", gold dome with presentation engraving: "Presented to Mr. William W. Russell, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires at Caracas, Venezuela, by his grateful friends Umpires, Duffield, Plumley and Ralston as a token of their appreciation of his many personal favors to them during their stay in Caracas, Oct. 29. 1903".
Dial
Enamel.
Movement
Bridge movement, club-tooth lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance.
Case no.79874
Cal.Piguet Freres
Diam.47 mm
Circa1878
Ctry.Switzerland
Wt.71 g


In 1874 Tiffany & Co. started a watch factory in Geneva, which lasted about 4 years (low production). Patek, Philippe & Co. assumed the management of their Geneva watch business. The watch machinery was returned to America.


William Worthington Russell Jr. (1858-1944) was an American diplomat who served under five presidents.
He studied engineering and was in the railroad business before entering the diplomatic service. Russell was connected with several surveys of railroad routes in South America, Mexico and the United States and was an assistant engineer in locating the route of the Eads ship-railway across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. He also served as senior watch officer of the Brazilian cruiser America, which was delivered at the time of the Melo revolution in 1893.
In 1895, he was appointed secretary of the American legation at Caracas in Venezuela, serving until 1904 when he was appointed secretary of the legation and chargé d'affaires ad interim at Panama City (following its separation from Colombia in 1903). On March 17, 1904, Russell was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt as the U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Colombia.
Source: wikipedia.com