On October 29, Hess Fine Auctions' sale will feature Omega, Bulova, and Lange wristwatches, pocket watches, and fine jewelry, including pieces from Sophia D, a NYC designer inspired by the Art Deco aesthetic.
One highlight of the sale is a very rare $20 bill serial number 1 Custer City Bank from the Oklahoma Territory printed in May of 1907, several months before it became a state in November 1907. It is in astonishingly good condition with minimals fold and no tearing, and carries an impressive estimate of $150,000-250,000.
Another top lot is a spectacular Omega Speedmaster Model 105.003 known amongst collectors as the “Ed White” as it was worn by the astronaut Lt Col. Edward Higgins, the first American to perform a spacewalk in the summer of 1965. The Omega Speedmaster watch would become the watch to wear for the astronauts who landed on the surface of the moon 4 years later. It is in stainless steel and good condition, with running movement.
There is also a massive collection of vintage Bulova watches from a fastidious and astute collector from north Florida. Bulova was founded in 1875 in New York and was a popular watch brand in the mid-20th century. In the 1960s, Bulova competed with Omega to have the first watch on the moon. Although that ultimately went to Omega, a Bulova chronograph worn by David Scott is still the only privately owned watch to be worn on the moon in 1971 during the Apollo 15 mission. Hess' Bulova collection inludes 67 timepieces from the brand, including mens and womens wristwatches and pocket watches.
This auction also boasts the return of the iconic Buckeye pocket watch collection, a multi-generational assemblage of pocket watches. The 13 pocket watches on offer come from a variety of brands, including Longines, Elgin and Seth Thomas.
A prestigious timepiece is a Lange & Söhne Cabaret 18k rose gold and black dial mens watch.
A. Lange & Söhne was founded in 1845 in Germany and by the end of the century was supplying watches to European royals. The company closed during World War II, but the brand was revived in 1990 and is a part of the luxury Richemont group now.
