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DIAMOND ROSE BROOCH BY PAUL FLATO SELLS FOR $107,550 AT
DOYLE NEW YORK'S DECEMBER 7, 2004 AUCTION OF IMPORTANT ESTATE JEWELRY
Property from a Prominent American Family Exceeds Pre-Sale Estimates
Auction
Also Featured Part II of the Alfred Cossidente Collection of Pocket Watches
On Tuesday,
December 7, 2004, Doyle New York held an auction of Important Estate Jewelry
from a variety of prominent estates and collections. The sale offered
a dazzling array of jewelry spanning the Antique, Victorian, Edwardian,
Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Modern eras by some of the world's most
prestigious makers. Highlighting the sale was an exquisite diamond rose
brooch by famed American jeweler Paul Flato. The brooch was one of a number
of pieces consigned by a prominent American family. In addition, a special
section of the auction was also devoted Part II of the Alfred Cossidente
Collection of Fine Pocket Watches.
PROPERTY FROM A PROMINENT AMERICAN FAMILY
Featured
in the December 7 auction was a collection of over twenty lots of extraordinary
jewelry from a prominent American family. The pieces dated primarily from
the 1930s through the 1950s and offered a glittering array of brooches,
rings and other forms set with diamonds and colored stones. The highlight
of the collection was a glittering diamond and platinum brooch designed
as a rose in full bloom that soared past its pre-sale estimate of $20,000-30,000
to realize $107,550. The brooch was created by Paul Flato, the
legendary jeweler to the Hollywood stars. Based in New York, Flato counted
among his friends and clients many of the glamorous actresses and social
figures of the 1930s, including Ginger Rogers, Mae West,
Katherine Hepburn and Linda Porter, wife of the composer
Cole Porter.
Another of
the collection's highlights was a magnificent alexandrite and diamond
ring by Yard set with a cushion-cut alexandrite chrysoberyl, approx. 10.60
carats. It also exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $60,000-75,000 and sold
for $104,562. In 1922, Raymond C. Yard opened his salon on New
York's Fifth Avenue, and for the next forty years he created dazzling
jewelry for such clients as the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts
and Duponts, as well as films stars Joan Crawford and Douglas
Fairbanks.
The collection
also featured a sapphire and diamond pin that sold for $32,265, a yellow
diamond ring/pendant that fetched $26,290, and an aquamarine and diamond
bracelet that realized $20,315.
PROPERTY OF VARIOUS OWNERS
Property
from other owners included a diamond engagement ring set with a rectangular
cut diamond of approx. 7.11 carats that sold for $29,875, over its pre-sale
estimate. Among the other notable offerings were a diamond necklace featuring
a total of 45.49 carats of diamonds that fetched $23,900 and a stunning
Art Deco diamond and ruby bracelet by Cartier that fetched $23,900.
THE ALFRED COSSIDENTE COLLECTION OF FINE POCKET WATCHES, PART II
In September
2004, Doyle New York offered Part I of the Alfred Cossidente Collection
of Fine Pocket Watches to a highly competitive, international audience
of prominent collectors and dealers who drove the prices of most of the
lots far above the pre-sale estimates. Part II proved to be a similar
success.
This remarkable
collection has been in storage for the past three decades and features
a century of production by some of the most prestigious names in horology,
including both American and European examples. In addition to pocket watches,
the Cossidente Collection also offered an extensive selection of watch
keys. Prior to the introduction of stem-winding watches, which became
widespread in 1875, owners of pocket watches utilized diminutive watch
keys to wind their timepieces. The Cossidente Collection featured a large
assortment of gold and silver watch keys in a variety of themes, including
miniature firearms, turbaned Moors, eagles, monkeys and canines, as well
as numerous examples set with stones.
Highlights
of Part II of the Cossidente Collection included a rare gold Premier Maximus
watch by the Waltham Watch Company, Massachusetts. This rare watch came
complete with the orginal box and sold for $8,365. Another notable lot
was a gold chronometer watch from Pennington, London that sold after competitive
bidding for $6,572, well above its pre-sale estimate of $1,800-2,400.
Other offerings included a silver pair case watch by Francois Lagisse,
London that fetched $5,377; a silver one hand alarm pair case watch by
Sebastian Chappuis, Geneva that sold for $4,481; and an open face helical
spring chronometer watch by Jn. R. Arnold, London that realized $4,182,
all three over their pre-sale estimates.
Doyle New
York's next auction of Important Estate Jewelry is scheduled for April
2005. For information on consigning property, please contact Laura Doyle,
Director of Doyle New York's Jewelry Department at (212) 427-4141 ext.
221, or email jewelry@DoyleNewYork.com. To order an auction catalogue,
call the Subscriptions Department at (212) 427-2730, or email subscriptions@DoyleNewYork.com.
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Laura
Doyle
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Berj
Zavian, Appraiser
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AUCTION
Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 10am
NEXT
AUCTION
April 2005
INFORMATION
Laura Doyle, 212-427-4141, ext. 221, jewelry@DoyleNewYork.com
CATALOGUE
Printed catalogue: Subscriptions
Department, 212-427-4141, ext. 257
View the online catalogue
MEDIA
CONTACT
Louis LeB. Webre, Vice President,
Marketing and Media, 212-427-4141, ext 232
Images and interviews are available upon request.
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A SELECTION
OF HIGHLIGHTS
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PROPERTY
OF A PROMINENT AMERICAN FAMILY
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Lot 1472
Diamond Rose Brooch
Flato
Platinum, designed as a rose in full bloom, set throughout with
with twenty-eight assorted baguette-cut diamonds and approximately
five hundred assorted round diamonds, total approximately 25 cts.,
signed Flato, approximately 31.4 dwt. Length 3 inches.
Sold for $107,550
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Lot
1474
Alexandrite and Diamond Ring
Yard
Platinum, set to the center with a cushion-cut alexandrite chrysoberyl,
approximately 10.60 cts.,* flanked by two triangular-cut and assorted
small round diamonds, signed Yard, approximately 3.2 dwt. Size 5
1/4.
This stone has been weighed and is accompanied by an AGL certificate
dated May 10, 2004 and numbered CS36994, which states that it is
a natural alexandrite chrysoberyl.
Sold for $104,562
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Lot
1468
Sapphire and Diamond Pin
The platinum frame set to the center with a faceted cushion-cut
sapphire, approximately 28 cts., by formula, set within a border
of twenty-two round diamonds, total approximately 3.30 cts., additionally
set with fourteen round sapphires, total approximately 4 cts., approximately
14 dwt. Length 1 1/2 inches.
Sold for $32,265
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Lot
1469
Diamond Ring/Pendant
Platinum, set to the center with a round yellow diamond, approximately
13.05 cts., set within a frame of twenty-four marquise-cut diamonds,
total approximately 2.40 cts., approximately 14.1 dwt. Size 6 3/4.
This stone has been weighed and is accompanied by a G.I.A. certificate
dated July 13, 2001 and numbered 11592939, which states that it
is a clarity of SI1 and color is Yellow and has been treated.
Sold for $26,290
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Lot
1465
Aquamarine and Diamond Bracelet
Platinum, the flexible band designed as three double row sections,
set altogether with twenty-four French-cut aquamarines, and three
openwork sections, each centering a round old mine cut diamond,
total approximately 2.75 cts., set altogether with one hundred assorted
round diamonds, total approximately 4.80 cts., approximately 25.2
dwt. Length 7 inches.
Sold for $20,315
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Lot 1354
Diamond Engagement Ring
Platinum, set to the center with a rectangular-cut diamond, approximately
7.11 cts., this stone has been weighed, flanked by two tapered baguette-cut
diamonds. Size 7.
Sold for $29,875
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Lot
1337
Diamond Necklace
18 k. white gold, the slightly tapered flexible necklace set throughout
with assorted marquise-cut diamonds, total approximately 45.49 cts.,
by formula, approximately 36.3 dwt. Length 16 inches.
Sold for $23,900
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Lot
1421
Art Deco Diamond and Ruby Bracelet
Cartier
Platinum, set throughout with one hundred sixty-five assorted round
single-cut diamonds, total approximately 5.25 cts., one diamond
missing, additionally set with seven round cabochon rubies, four
oval cabochon rubies, two rectangular-cut and eight calibre-cut
rubies, having black enamel accents, signed Cartier and numbered
7642, approximately 25.5 dwt. Length 7 1/4 inches.
Sold for $23,900
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PROPERTY
FROM THE ALFRED COSSIDENTE COLLECTION
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Lot 1014
Rare Gold Premiere Maximus Watch
Waltham Watch Co., Waltham, Massachusetts, No. 17057227
14 kt. yellow gold, 16 size, 23 jewels, two diamond end stones,
pendant set, jeweled lever escapement, bi-metallic compensation
balance, white enamel dial with fancy Arabic numerals, two sunken
subsidiary dials: one for seconds, one for up-down indicator, factory
and monogrammed engraved cuvette, polished case, in original box,
case no. 345086, case, dial and movement signed. Diameter 50 mm.
Sold for $8,365
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Lot 1037
Gold Chronometer Watch
Pennington, London, No. 94
18 kt. yellow gold, smooth polished case, hinged back cover and
cuvette, back key wind and set, gilt movement, oversized balance
with diamond end stone and helical spring, white enamel dial, subsidiary
seconds, gold tone hands, dial and movement signed. Diameter 56.25
mm.
Sold for $6,572
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Lot 1041
Silver Pair Case Watch
Francois Lagisse, London
One hand pendulette silver pair case watch, engraved champleve dial
has four apertures: pendulette, regulator, hour dial, winding arbor,
dial is chased including two male faces and Arabic numerals in five
minute increments, gilt movement, fusee, crown wheel escapement,
Egyptian style pillars, in place of balance cock is a glazed portrait
of a cardinal, key wind, movement and dial signed. Inside case diameter
50.25 mm.
Sold for $5,377
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ALFRED
COSSIDENTE, MD (1903-2003)
When
he started practicing medicine in 1931, Alfred G. Cossidente, M.D.
charged $2 for an office visit and $3 for a house call. Even then,
"Dr. Al" managed to put a few dollars aside to buy a pocket
watch whose movement or workmanship fascinated him. It was the beginning
of an important collection assembled by this avid horologist who
lived to be 100 years old.
Fellow
collectors knew and respected him as a member of the National Association
of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) for 57 of those years, possessing
the very early membership number of 342. In recognition of his leadership,
devotion to horology, and development of the organization's charter,
the NAWCC named him a Fellow in 1959, its highest honor at the time.
From
his dignified, cultured manner, one would never know that Dr. Al
came from a humble background. The son of a master cobbler and small
grocery store owner who immigrated from Protenza, Italy, Dr. Al
was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1903 in a little house on
Summer Street that shook every time a train went by on the tracks
across the street. He was the one chosen among his four siblings
to go to college, and they dutifully handed over their paychecks
to help cover his tuition and expenses. Surmounting the challenges
of a first-generation American, he graduated with honors from Yale's
Sheffield Scientific School in 1927, immediately matriculating into
medical school at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. Throughout
his life, he was grateful for his family's generosity, which he
never forgot.
Dr.
Al led a very full life that included a 63-year marriage to his
wife Virginia, known as "Babe", a registered nurse whose
father was a New York Times sports editor. Babe served as his nurse
throughout his distinguished 40-year medical practice, which he
began as a general practitioner, soon switching to obstetrics/gynecology.
Although he and Babe never had any children of their own, he delivered
more than 3,000 babies. He served on the staff of three New York
teaching hospitals where he instructed and mentored future physicians
and nurses without remuneration. Ever the collector, he found time
to scour antique shops, flea markets, pawnshops and private sales
looking for that special watch.
In
retirement, Dr. Al and Babe traveled the world, always frugally,
but not resisting his passion for collecting fine watches. They
left New York for a quiet life in Florida, first in Clearwater and
later in Naples near his niece and nephew, who looked after him
for more than 30 years and to whom he had already given his collection.
He enjoyed visiting their home and gazing at some of the timepieces
that represented a lifetime of collecting.
At
his surprise 100th birthday party, he grumbled at all of the fuss,
because he was still chipper, still interested in old watches, and
now into new endeavors like serving as Yale Alumni Magazine's Class
of '27 Scribe, something he undertook only a few issues earlier.
Even the President of Yale marked Dr. Al's centenary by presenting
him with a new Yale watch and an original poem penned in his honor.
Dr.
Al lives on through the important timepieces to be shared through
this special auction at Doyle New York. Representing the finest
in workmanship and artistry, these watches were meticulously researched
and recorded in Dr. Al's own hand, and safely protected and cherished
by his niece and nephew for almost three decades.
"In
a way, these watches were like the children he never had,"
said his niece who thought of him as her second father. "I'm
sure Dr. Al would be happy to know others will love them as he did."
The
Alfred Cossidente Collection of Fine Pocket Watches is mute testimony
to the scholarship, sophistication and discerning eye of a true
collector.
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