93rd Auction
2016/5/14
Lot 229
Patek Philippe & Co. Genève, Movement No. 111750, Case No. 225163, Cal. 17''', 46 mm, 83 g, circa 1900
A gentleman's distinguished Geneva minute repeating pocket watch with art nouveau hour markers, made for the Bohm-Bristol Co. in Denver, Colorado and sold to Colorado’s most prominent and wealthiest families on November 20th, 1900 - with original box and Patek Philippe extract from the archives
Case: 18k rose gold, engraved monogram "CKB", gold dome with presentation engraving: "Given to Claude K. Boettcher by his wife December 1900". Dial: silvered, blued Louis XV hands. Movm.: bridge movement, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, gold screw compensation balance.
This remarkable timepiece intrigues us with its extravagantly ornate and unusual engraving on the dial. It is different from all other versions we know - the combination of the dial and the exquisitely blued Louis XV hands gives this watch a particularly fascinating and meaningful art nouveau "face".
The Boettcher Family
The Boettchers are one of the most prominent families in the history of Colorado. Claudius Kedzie Boettcher was born in Boulder and the only son of Charles and Fannie (Cowan) Boettcher. His father had at the time just opened his own hardware store in the town of Boulder - it still bears the name C. Boettcher & Company above the main entrance today.
The business prospered and Charles was obviously a born entrepreneur who was always on the lookout for new opportunities. A silver boom in Leadville inspired him to move his business as well as the family there. His store flourished and Charles was soon the owner of a good number of hardware businesses; he began spreading his investments further and became involved in banking circles too. When he observed the success of the sugar beet industry in his native Germany, Charles decided to build sugar manufactories in Colorado to take advantage of this growing industry. His son Claude was among the partners in the new-formed Great Western Sugar Company. In time the family branched out to other fields such as the production of cement and they eventually became one of Colorado’s most important and wealthiest families.
Claude K. Boettcher (1875-1957)
Claude K. Boettcher was a second generation member of the prominent family that had settled and prospered in Colorado. He was educated at Dr. Holbrook's Military School in New York and Harvard, where he studied to become an engineer. Claude returned to Denver afterwards to become involved in his father’s enterprises. In 1890 he married De Allan McMurtrie and the couple had a son Charles later in the same year.
Claude K. Boettcher was an active philanthropist and the driving force behind the establishment of the Boettcher Foundation in 1937; he also donated heavily to the Boettcher School for Crippled Children, and the Children's hospital. Claude was a very generous man who felt that a family as fortunate and wealthy as his should give something back to the community and to those who were in need.
A gentleman's distinguished Geneva minute repeating pocket watch with art nouveau hour markers, made for the Bohm-Bristol Co. in Denver, Colorado and sold to Colorado’s most prominent and wealthiest families on November 20th, 1900 - with original box and Patek Philippe extract from the archives
Case: 18k rose gold, engraved monogram "CKB", gold dome with presentation engraving: "Given to Claude K. Boettcher by his wife December 1900". Dial: silvered, blued Louis XV hands. Movm.: bridge movement, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, gold screw compensation balance.
This remarkable timepiece intrigues us with its extravagantly ornate and unusual engraving on the dial. It is different from all other versions we know - the combination of the dial and the exquisitely blued Louis XV hands gives this watch a particularly fascinating and meaningful art nouveau "face".
The Boettcher Family
The Boettchers are one of the most prominent families in the history of Colorado. Claudius Kedzie Boettcher was born in Boulder and the only son of Charles and Fannie (Cowan) Boettcher. His father had at the time just opened his own hardware store in the town of Boulder - it still bears the name C. Boettcher & Company above the main entrance today.
The business prospered and Charles was obviously a born entrepreneur who was always on the lookout for new opportunities. A silver boom in Leadville inspired him to move his business as well as the family there. His store flourished and Charles was soon the owner of a good number of hardware businesses; he began spreading his investments further and became involved in banking circles too. When he observed the success of the sugar beet industry in his native Germany, Charles decided to build sugar manufactories in Colorado to take advantage of this growing industry. His son Claude was among the partners in the new-formed Great Western Sugar Company. In time the family branched out to other fields such as the production of cement and they eventually became one of Colorado’s most important and wealthiest families.
Claude K. Boettcher (1875-1957)
Claude K. Boettcher was a second generation member of the prominent family that had settled and prospered in Colorado. He was educated at Dr. Holbrook's Military School in New York and Harvard, where he studied to become an engineer. Claude returned to Denver afterwards to become involved in his father’s enterprises. In 1890 he married De Allan McMurtrie and the couple had a son Charles later in the same year.
Claude K. Boettcher was an active philanthropist and the driving force behind the establishment of the Boettcher Foundation in 1937; he also donated heavily to the Boettcher School for Crippled Children, and the Children's hospital. Claude was a very generous man who felt that a family as fortunate and wealthy as his should give something back to the community and to those who were in need.
Sold
estimated
30.000—40.000 €
Price realized
37.500 €