$9,200
Grand Army of the RepublicElgin National Watch Co. , No. 4800207, Grade 74, circa 1890.Exceptionally fine and very rare, 14K gold and enamel keyless watch with an unusual case and dial. Four-body, "bassine et filets", by "D & Co", No. 83981, back cen-tered with polychrome enameled badge of the Grand Army of the Republic on engine turned background, reeded band, spring-loaded bezel, gold hinged cuvette. Enameled, outer minute track, outer-most small red Arabic hour chapter, center painted, probably repre-senting the Chattanooga battle (Nov 23-25, 1863), with the Union commander on a horse in the foreground, sunk sub-seconds, the center painted with canteen and words "We Drnk from the same Canteen". Blued steel, "Spade" hands. 18 size, frosted gilt, full plate, 15 jewels, straight line counterpoised lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with blued steel Breguet balance spring. Signed on dial and movement.Diam. 54 mm. Notes We do not know of any other watch with a Civil War dial and case.Civil War"…but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came."-Abraham Lincoln, 2nd Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865.The Grand Army of the Republic.After the Civil War (1861-65) ended, an organization for the veterans of the Republic forces was created in 1866 in Illinois by Dr. B.F. Ste-phenson. In 1869, General Logan was elected Commander-in-Chief and moved the National He
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2002-12-04
